Chronicles Of Camelot
by DZ2
Summary: My answer to Proud Mudblood's challenge: it started with a kiss: a new Harry emerges and a seemingly impossible destiny is set in motion; with Hermione at his side, however, Harry feels he can do anything: can he? Harry/Hermione; Alternate, extended ending posted 12/7/2012
1. The Oncoming Storm

The Chronicles of Camelot: Stormy Waters: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to all who have stood by me and especially those who, as of late, have made nice comments regarding my now lost stories; I would also like to dedicate this story to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read and another answer to the challenge set by Proud Mudblood.

**Plot:** My answer to Proud Mudblood's Year Two Challenge: Instead of being in the Great Hall, Harry is in the Hospital Wing waiting for Hermione to be awakened from petrification. Because of the relative solitude, Hermione gathers her courage and gives him kiss, and they become a couple.

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Chapter 1: The Oncoming Storm

It was official: Harry James Potter had the _worst_ luck in the entire wizarding world: one minute, he was being thanked by his friends and by those who had been petrified; the next, he was blacking out and waking up in the Hospital Wing, with Madam Pomfrey acting one step away from saying something along the lines of, "So, here again are you Potter? Maybe you should move in!"

It surprised Harry that five days had actually passed between he and Ron rescuing Ginny and the current situation, where he was now lying in a hospital bed, Madam Pomfrey performing scans, before allowing him a temporary hiatus in which he would make notes on lessons for Hermione and, when he wasn't doing that, he would be found in one place.

At the bedside of one Hermione Jane Granger, his hand holding her stiff corpse as if trying to fuel magic into the body before him, his mood darkening to a dangerous point whenever he was with her. He didn't actually know when he had figured out his feelings for the brown-haired Muggleborn, but, whenever it was, he was glad for it. Yes, he _did_ love Hermione and, as her closest friend, he wanted to make sure he was here when Professors Sprout and Snape finished the Mandrake Restoration Draught, which would give Harry the chance to tell her himself.

In the meantime, she was someone he could talk to and, after Madam Pomfrey had told him off for sneaking across the ward to see her, the matron had taken pity on him and placed Miss Granger's bed right next to his so that he could talk in complete safety and privacy. Looking to her still-petrified body, Harry heaved a sigh before, reaching across to her, the young wizard wrapped his hand around Hermione's and, with no regrets as to what he was going to say, began to speak.

"Hermione, I know that you always tell me that I'm reckless and that I have no regard for the rules, but, if you could only understand how I felt about you and about the regard for the rules, then you could see the logic in my actions." Heaving a sigh, Harry knew that there would be repercussions, but he was glad that it was Hermione he was speaking to: she would understand him.

"Contrary to popular belief, I wasn't given the life of the pampered prince or the spoilt brat; instead, I was locked in a cupboard from a very young age where my growth and nutrition was greatly shunned by a lack of proper meals or exercise. If I said or did anything that the Dursleys disliked, they would hurt me, or rather, Dudley and Uncle Vernon would hurt me while Aunt Petunia found it all right to wound me by aiming for my heart and the last few good memories I have of my parents. When Hagrid came and told me that I was a wizard, I was ecstatic because I now knew why I was so different from anyone else; I saw a reason to strike back at those who thought themselves in charge and, while I can't really excuse myself for putting my friends in so much danger, there is one event that I cannot regret no matter what I try to do. Meeting a certain brown-haired bookworm on the Hogwarts Express and, not one month later, saving that girl's life."

Checking to see whether he could be seen by the matron, Harry slowly crept out of bed and moved over to Hermione, his body now next to hers as he continued, "I was going to wait until you woke up until I said this, but I feel that, if I tried, then I would be too scared or distracted by Ron and the other Gryffindors. Hermione, I want you to know that the only true regret that I have against my recklessness is putting you in the line of fire: the troll, Fluffy, Hagrid's dragon, the polyjuice potion and now your petrification. Hermione, I know and will understand if you can never forgive me, but I need to say it: I love you; I always have and I always will and, if you come back to me, then I promise you that I will cut down on my reckless behaviour and be the best boyfriend you can ever ask for: just please," he soon found tears in his eyes as he held onto her, "Please Mione; come back to me."

"Potter?"

Looking up, Harry saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the entrance to their private area, a bottle of dark brown liquid in her hand; with hope in his eyes, Harry asked, "Is…is that…?"

"The antidote," Answered Poppy, smiling as she saw the two Gryffindors lying next to one another; a part of her wondering if that poll on who would capture Harry's heart was still available; when she had heard the boy pour his heart out, she had known that the right to wake up the seemingly sleeping Gryffindor girl would be Harry's. "If you perform the swallowing charm on Miss Granger, you can help her take it in: after that, wait a few minutes and…well, do the only thing you can…pray."

"Yes ma'am," Harry replied, taking the bottle from Madam Pomfrey; looking to the seemingly sleeping student, Harry gently poured the antidote into her mouth, using the spell Madam Pomfrey had suggested before he found himself holding onto Hermione, Poppy disappearing to give them some privacy.

Harry held onto Hermione for what seemed like hours, gently soothing himself by allowing his hands to massage her back, his eyes closed as he whispered, "Hermione, I don't know if you heard me, but I need you to listen to me now. I need you and I love you; if you couldn't hear me then I'll say it again; come back to me and you'll see a whole new Harry Potter, but now, just please wake up. I need you Hermione Granger and I…" tears continued to stream down his cheeks as he held onto the Muggleborn, "I love you."

One of Harry's tears fell from his eyes; had anyone taken a closer look at the tear, however, they would have seen a near-miniscule spark of silver in the center of the tear, Harry's arms holding onto Hermione as it splashed onto her cheek, a whole new strength filling the young Potter as he held onto her.

"I love you too."

Harry's eyes snapped open; he had heard it, but a part of him didn't want to believe it; still holding the body of the young Granger, Harry whispered, "Hermione?"

"Yes?" asked a weak, but very much alive voice.

"Y-you do?"

"I do," Hermione replied, pulling back from Harry and looking into his eyes, her own dark brown slowly regaining their lustre as she smiled at him, "And I did hear you: Harry, I promise that, if it's the last thing I do, I will see you freed from those monsters, but for now, will do you me one favour?"

"Anything," Harry replied, smiling at Hermione as he asked, "What is your wish my Hermione?"

"Kiss me," replied the Muggleborn, "As my boyfriend, I believe you have that right."

Harry nodded at her, before he leaned in close and gently placed his lips against hers, his tears still falling and, as he found her responding to his kiss, Harry also found that he didn't want to let go of Hermione.

As their kiss deepened, neither Harry nor Hermione had any idea of the powerful silvery glow that enveloped their bodies; neither were they aware of the magical influence that it was having on their bodies; all around them, there was a sudden ominous rumble of thunder and, as Harry kissed his new girlfriend, he would swear blindly that he heard a sound like the crashing waves as he remained in the arms of his Hermione.

However, while Harry and Hermione weren't aware of the effect of their kiss, there were two particular parties in the world that were…

_**HPHG**_

If there was one thing that the goblin nation valued above gold and treasures, it was the effect of a new lord and lady being found, but, when the goblins saw their leader, Ragnok, emerging from his hallowed halls, his eyes wide and filled with a sense of hallowed honour, they knew that this lord and lady would be unlike any other.

"Griphook," barked Ragnok, "Prepare our best treatments and inform me _immediately_ if Sire Potter comes into the bank, do you hear me?"

"Yes my lord," Griphook replied, bowing with homage to his leader: Ragnok was not known for appearing on a random whim and, if Griphook's client, otherwise known as one Heir Harry James Potter, was the name spoken by the goblin leader, then it made it that much more important and that much more insistent to obey him.

"Also," Ragnok commanded, "I want the access for vaults 1366 and 1712 in my office immediately."

There was a collective gasp before Griphook, still falling over the chief's last request, gasped out, "But Lord Ragnok, those vaults can only be approved by…"

"I know," Ragnok agreed, "Just do it; I will contact the Overseers to deal with the permissions."

Griphook would never again disobey a command from Ragnok; nor would he ever again shirk in his duties to Sire Potter; not if _those_ vaults were to be accessed.

_**HPHG**_

Firenze and Bane looked to the stars, both centaurs sharing a look before the dark-haired centaur looked to his friend and, with a scoff, asked, "Do you realise what this means?"

"I do," Firenze answered, still looking to the heavens, "They have finally been chosen and now the battle shall begin anew."

"Bane," a deep, rumbling voice called out, "Firenze; are you there?"

Turning to the source of the voice, the two centaurs watched as a pair of cloaked, hooded figures appeared in their midst, both figures looking to the centaurs before one of them spoke, "Well met children of Artemis."

"Well met Lords of Nature," Bane remarked, bowing forwards on his forelegs as he asked, "What happens to the children now?"

"First," the second figure answered, "They must explore their relationship before we are to appear to them: if the Oracle spoke the truth then these two shall unite the forces of nature and form the Balance once again; however, to do that, the unthinkable must happen."

"As the humans would say," Bane commented, "Your brother must be having a field day to learn of this."

"You have no idea," answered the first figure, "I have not seen him so happy in centuries: now remember you two, we chose you as foals and gave you our gifts so you could guide, guard and watch over the younglings; if their destiny is to be met, it must be alone."

"As you wish Storm Lord," Firenze commented, "However, the stars speak of another coming to aid the children; your Champion, Storm Lord, will be assisted by the Death Omen in his battle against the betrayers of destiny."

"And what of mine?" asked the second figure.

"She will be great indeed Ocean Lord," answered Bane, "But in the end, the balance shall be restored by their unity: tell us, when do we send them to you?"

"When one year has passed," answered the one known as Storm Lord, "Until then, you are to let the children have their lives and their love; the old one must not interfere any longer. If that happens, we shall send a scout to aid them and, only if that must be done shall we appear to them ourselves."

"As you wish," Firenze bowed, before he and Bane walked off into the forest, leaving the two figures to watch the silhouette of the school, Storm Lord speaking to his companion.

"We are taking a big risk here brother: putting our faith in mortals," he looked to Ocean Lord as he added, "That has not been done since the days of Emrys."

"I am aware of that brother," answered Ocean Lord, "But these two are different; they have ties to a lineage that is rightfully theirs; your Champion alone has the means to build his strength, but is halted by constant interferences."

"Then," Storm Lord remarked, looking to the school, a pair of electric blue eyes suddenly shining from beneath his hood, "That, brother, is the first thing that needs to change."

_**HPHG**_

Harry felt like he was walking on air: he had his friend, his _girlfriend_ back with him and he also had a whole new reason to leave the naïve, childish, reckless side of him behind. When he had poured out his soul to Hermione, he had half-expected her to turn her back on him and think him a freak, but instead, she had asked him to kiss her and then, when they had parted, it had been like the biggest light switch in the world had been flicked on in Harry's head.

All of a sudden, he felt a new understanding for magic: things he couldn't understand before were almost clear as crystal to him; he could even see that there were those in the world who wanted to be his friend simply because of his station as the Boy-Who-Lived. So far, there had been very few people who would see him as Harry and that, combined with his new attitude, was what now drove him to his destination.

Stopping outside his destination, Harry lifted a hand and knocked on the door, a familiar Scottish voice calling out, "Come in!"

Opening the door, Harry spoke not with the attitude of a bumbling fool, but a proud member of the lion's pride, "I apologise if I disturbed you Professor McGonagall, but I would like to request a change in my electives for next year."

"I see," Minerva replied, watching as Harry closed the door behind him and looked to her, a new sense of duty and pride in every word he spoke and every step he took. "And, if I may be so bold Potter, is it the sudden recovery of young Miss Granger that has brought this on?"

"That is one of the reasons ma'am," Harry answered, his eyes on his Head of House, "The other is because I feel that I should earn my marks, which is why I wish to drop Divination and instead choose to take Advanced Charmcasting as well as Ancient Runes, but keep Care of Magical Creatures."

"Advanced Charms _is_ an interesting choice," Minerva replied, her eyes on her young lion as she asked, "But why would you choose two new electives and keep Care? You know that will cut down your free time and I daresay that Mr Wood will be disappointed if you slack on your Quidditch duties."

"Which is why my next stop is Gryffindor Tower," Harry replied, looking to Minerva as he saw her obviously trying to change his mind. "I am officially leaving the Gryffindor Quidditch Team as, between you and me Professor, every time I have been in a match, I have almost seriously injured myself and, when I should be focusing on my studies, I was instead flying around and being Mr Reckless with the help of the Quidditch team."

"Well," McGonagall gasped, "I never thought I'd hear you say that Potter; however, as your Head of House, all I can do is approve your resignation and hope that you enjoy your new classes: would you also like Miss Granger to take those lessons?"

Harry, as if he had expected this question, removed a parchment from his robe and, handing it to McGonagall, explained, "This is her letter to you; she would have told you personally, but Madam Pomfrey suggested 48 hours recovery and, being my Hermione, she didn't want to leave it too late."

The _my Hermione_ slip had been intentional: seeing her lion looking like someone she had never met before, Minerva could only smile at him as she nodded and replied, "Thank you Potter; I will make the necessary changes and, when you next see Miss Granger, give her my best: she is a lucky girl to have someone like you at her side."

"No Professor," Harry remarked, smiling himself as he inclined his head in a thanks, before turning to leave the office, "I'm the lucky one."

_**HPHG**_

Gryffindor Tower was alive and well with the recovery of its House ghost, one of its first-years and its resident bookworm and one half of the pride of Gryffindor.

So, when Harry walked into the tower, his eyes scanning the room like a man on a mission, the first to approach him was Neville, who asked, "Harry, how's Hermione doing?"

"She's doing a lot better Neville," Harry replied, a warm smile on his face as he added, "In fact, now that she has someone to love her for being her, she's like a whole new Hermione."

"Yeah," Neville agreed, before he caught Harry's knowing look, the penny dropping as he asked, "What? You and her?"

"Yep," Harry smiled, "And I don't care what anybody else thinks: I love her and will always stand with her; now, have you seen Oliver anywhere?"

"Quidditch field," Neville replied, before he watched with shock as Harry seemed to stride past him, making his way to the boys' dormitory; once there, Harry recovered all the notes he had taken for Hermione and turned to leave when he found himself stopped by one Ronald Weasley, the youngest male of the red-haired clan looking at him in shock.

"Harry mate," he seemed to laugh as if he had just been told a funny joke. "Neville just said that you and Hermione were…" he gave a hollow laugh before he asked, "That you were…boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Yes," Harry replied, before holding up his notes, "And now I'm going to give her these before we make plans for the summer together."

The door to the dorm opened and Harry watched as Neville, Dean and Seamus all walked in, the Irish half-blood congratulating Harry while the dark-skinned lion simply gave Harry a friendly nod of his head, obviously recognising the fact that Harry's love for Hermione was genuine: nobody would be stupid enough to question otherwise, would they?

Obviously, Dean forgot that they shared a dorm with Ronald Weasley, the human incarnation of the term _open mouth, insert foot._

As Harry reached the door, Ron scoffed as he whispered, "Good of Harry to take pity on her."

"What?" asked Harry, stopping dead, Dean and Seamus sharing a look as if recognising the signs of an approaching blow-out: in their two years with Harry, they had only seen his reactions a few times, but, as Ron appeared to be a lot denser than he first appeared, he didn't see what they did. As they had discovered, there were two stages to Harry's anger: when he was annoyed with someone, Harry would yell and scream until he eventually knew the limit and went somewhere to cool off: that was like a Force 3 tornado; however, with the second stage, it was a Force 12 earthquake and it all began with Harry standing tense and straight, his hands at his side, his lips pursed and almost bloodless, his eyes screaming murder before, with but one more word, the snake would strike and the lion would rip a whole new world of trouble into its victim.

"Well," Ron laughed, ignoring the warning signs from his fellow Gryffindors, "She's not exactly good-looking is she? More of a practice girlfriend if you…"

His next words were cut off by a move that seemed to come out of nowhere, Harry's fist colliding with the side of Ron's jaw in a motion that was faster than lightning: then the Hurricane, as the other boys described Harry's 2nd stage, struck the boys dormitory. Harry leapt on top of Ron, fists flying and Harry tearing into the Weasley boy as if he cared about nothing more.

Thinking quickly, Neville cast the first spell that came to mind, "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

The effect was instantaneous: Harry was frozen in place, his arms and legs bound to his side, his body now dropping off Ron's, exposing a clearly bleeding Weasley's face, his jaw slightly distended and his nose looking even more crooked than Dumbledore and Snape combined.

"Harry," Neville remarked, "I'm going to release you, but you can't kill him: he _is_ an idiot, I won't defend him from that, but to strike out like that is just wrong. We think you and Hermione make a good couple and encourage you to spend as much time as you need to together; other than that, there nobody else's opinion that matters."

When Harry's eyes, which were seemingly alive with energy and magic, finally softened, Neville released the young Gryffindor, before handing him the notes he'd dropped and, with no real remorse, then stepped over the groaning Weasley, before he held out his hand, "If this git can't accept you, then allow me to take his place in the Gryffindor Trio: I'll make sure that no-one abuses your Hermione and I'll keep your anger in check."

"Thanks Neville," sighed Harry, gathering up the last of his notes before he shook the boy's hand, "But why?"

"Because," Neville answered, "In our past, there has always been a Potter and a Longbottom working together and I'm not going to betray that brotherhood. Now, why don't you get yourself back to Hermione and we'll take care of the garbage?"

When Harry obliged, he turned on his heel and walked out, his footsteps almost echoing through the hall as he returned to the Hospital Wing, leaving the three remaining Gryffindor boys to look at the damaged heap at their feet. Now they had witnessed it, Dean and Seamus would never insult Hermione, even if Harry _wasn't _around; they had called him Hurricane Harry at that level, but now, he would have a new title:

The Oncoming Storm!

_**So there we have it; Chapter 1 of my response to a challenge and an interesting tale: who are Storm and Ocean Lord and what do they want with our young Lord and Lady?**_

_**Also, what is the unthinkable that Firenze and Bane know of and what's so important about vaults 1366 and 1712?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out…**_

_**In the next chapter: Ron hasn't learned his lesson, Albus wants a word and Harry wants to run away; meanwhile, there's an escape from Azkaban and Hermione learns of an option for her new boyfriend;**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_


	2. No Matter What

Stormy Waters: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch 1:**_

_**Iseriad D'angouleme: You'd be right to guess it;**_

_**ROBERT-19588: Well, there are reasons and things that aren't meant to be revealed until the time is right (one name: Severus Snape)**_

_**David J. Potter: A nice idea; I'll have to consider it;**_

_**Arkenstone007: Well, I wanted a NEWT and OWL class that didn't appear in canon and the thought of Advanced lessons came along;**_

_**Stonegnome: there aren't many that do: besides, it seems most of the HP universe is in agreement: Ron Weasley was nothing more than the class clown;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: You were my FIRST reviewer: not that I'm complaining; I'm actually glad you liked it; you'd be right to guess the identities and I hope this answers the challenge pretty well; especially since one of the rules is being broken, but at the same time, I am sticking to the same rule: hopefully, you'll see what I mean; also, the tear WASN'T a phoenix tear ;-)**_

Chapter 2: No Matter What

When Hermione Granger saw the doors to the Hospital Wing open, the last person she had expected to be brought through them was Ronald Weasley, let alone in the state he was: his jaw was broken and his nose seemed almost flattened against his face; he had both eyes blackened and, as he passed her bed, Hermione then noticed the dried blood on his robes.

One name came to the mind of the young Miss Granger, "Harry."

The only question was why he had done it and, as Hermione continued to look, she then saw her fellow second-years Dean and Seamus walking into the Wing, both of them looking to the battered carcass before, to her surprise; they both walked over to her bed and stood there, almost protectively.

"Guys?" asked Hermione worriedly, "What happened?"

"I think it best that Harry explain it to you Hermione," Dean advised her, remaining at his post as if ordered. "Cliff Notes version: Ron called you practice and Harry became the Hurricane that we all know and fear."

'Oh no,' thought Hermione, watching as the door opened once more, this time admitting the familiar figure of her boyfriend, his emerald eyes filled with rage as he saw the two Gryffindors standing there; at a closer glance, Hermione also noticed that Harry's hair was almost literally standing on end, raw magic being exuded as he walked over towards her. 'How could Ron do something so stupid as to insult me in Harry's presence?'

"What are you two still doing here?" asked Harry warningly, his tone of voice telling Hermione all she needed to know: the wrong word would probably cost them the ability to reproduce or, even worse, walk over the summer.

"We're here protecting something that is worth more than gold to you Harry," Dean explained, before he stepped aside and watched as the two Gryffindors embraced one another, Hermione running a soft hand through Harry's black hair, the raw magic leaving him in calming waves as he felt his girlfriend's hands on him.

'Good answer,' thought Hermione, before she looked at her Harry and asked, "Dean gave me the cliff notes version, but I want to hear it from you Harry: what happened to put Ron in here?"

Harry didn't waste time explaining: as he did, his voice became slightly darker and a lot less innocent until it sounded like Harry Potter had become The Terminator: his voice was cold and emotionless as he looked up at Hermione, "I will _never_ allow anyone to say a cross-word about my girl: I promised you that I would love you and protect you and, if that means resorting to Muggle means to deal with the situation then so be it."

"All right," Hermione replied, her hand still soothing Harry's rising temper, "But please Harry, if you need to resort to that, then make sure I am around to keep you calm: I don't want my boyfriend getting into trouble over some idiot who can't keep his mouth shut; promise?"

"I promise," Harry replied, now fully calmed as he seemed to curl up in front of his Hermione, her soft hands even more therapeutic than even her kind words could have managed. Looking from his girlfriend to Dean and Seamus, Harry nodded calmly to them, "Thank you both for what you chose to do: my Hermione means more to me than you can ever understand. I know it's not much, but I hope that I can start considering the two of you as my friends as well as Neville."

"We'd be glad to be friends with you Harry," Dean answered, before he indicated Hermione as he added, "Besides, my mother always taught me to stand up for my friends and, even though my dad decided to do a runner, I stand true to my beliefs. I'll protect Hermione when you're unable to be there and Hermione, I'll do the same for Harry."

"He's right," Seamus agreed, "Think of us as your personal bodyguards and the first line of defence between idiots like the git over there and the Oncoming Storm."

"The what?" laughed Harry, Hermione slightly confused as well.

"Your anger," Seamus answered, "Kind of catchy though right?"

"I guess," Hermione sighed, looking down at her boyfriend as she continued, "You always were like the approaching storm and, given the visual evidence, it's clear that, for the first time, the storm has come to Hogwarts."

"Then I'll do my best to ride out the storm," Harry sighed, looking to Dean and Seamus as he added, "Consider yourselves interim bodyguards to my girlfriend here: do well enough and I'll do what I can to make this permanent."

As Dean and Seamus returned to their posts, Harry looked up at Hermione, the late-afternoon light that shone in through the window making it look like she was bathed in light; she was the world to him and, even though he now had protectors for her, there would be better chance of a ballet-dancing Dark Lord than Harry leaving her to suffer.

'Protecting something that is worth more than gold to me,' Harry though, quoting Dean's words exactly, 'That was a good answer and it is the truth.'

Soon, helped along by Hermione's soft touch, Harry found himself falling asleep in his girlfriend's embrace, their interim bodyguards remaining ever-vigilant as the night rolled in; only when Hermione gave them an assurance that she would be fine did Dean and Seamus return to Gryffindor Tower.

Both promising that they would be watching over their commander and his girlfriend from first thing the next morning…

_**HPHG**_

As all of Hogwarts surrendered themselves to the enrapturing embrace of sleep, there was one who was seemingly determined to do anything but sleep; in his office, Albus Dumbledore found himself at a quandary: the portraits had reported the punch-up between Harry and the Weasley boy and, in that single moment, Albus cursed the red-head's foul act of timing. He hadn't planned on Harry rescuing the young Miss Weasley so that her infatuation would continue all for nothing; that idiot boy was his ace-in-the-hole and now, with the reports that Ron was out and Longbottom was in, Albus knew he would have to act fast.

Looking to his private collection of gadgets, Albus scowled as he saw the wards around Privet Drive weakening: if Harry didn't return to his relatives in the summer, then Albus would find himself with his weapon at full power come September First. Harry needed to return to Privet Drive to recharge the blood wards of protection, but also to ensure that his magic was weakened and kept to the level where Harry was easy to mould into the saviour and then, when the time was right, Albus would do what was necessary to show the world that there was no-one in the world who was greater than him.

Yes, for the Greater Good, it all had to come to pass and, with the old man's latest plan being set into motion, the key element to Harry's destiny was about to be released, in more ways than one.

Little did Albus know that, as he went to ensure his plans went to fruition, a certain pet of his had heard every word and, glancing at its ancient kinsman, made a joint agreement to do what was necessary to protect Harry and the newly-found Lady of the House of Potter.

"Yes Fawkes," the Sorting Hat whispered, "The time is right: do what you need to old friend."

Fawkes let out a near-silent song of thanks before he spread his wings and flamed away, leaving the ancient hat to snigger at what was about to happen; the ancient game of chess was about to take a rather unusual twist in the game and, if Fawkes' plan was successful, then the White Knight would do what he needed to in order to escape the chains that bound him to his eventual death.

"Albus," the hat growled, its sole voice sounding like four people speaking at once, "Not even you can hide from destiny."

_**HPHG**_

'_Harry…Potter…_'

Harry turned over in his sleep as a musical voice sang within his mind, a feeling of strength and euphoria filling his body as he knew he was still being held by the love of his life; however, as he tried to block it out, the voice returned. '_You must listen to me Harry Potter, for there is much for you to learn._'

"What…what do you mean?" mumbled Harry sleepily, a bright warmth filling him as he listened, "Who…who are you?"

'_I am an old friend,_' the voice answered, '_Come to aid his true master in the destiny that has been set for you; while I cannot tell you more yet, I can tell you this. A warning: no matter what you choose to do, Harry Potter, you must not return to Number Four Privet Drive this summer; I will send a friend to help protect you from the old one, but it is essential that you do not return to Privet Drive nor do you allow yourself to lock eyes with the old one._'

"The…Old One?" asked Harry, his eyes cracking open, a sliver of light in front of him, "You mean…Professor Dumbledore?"

'_I do,_' the light answered, '_You have gifts that you will discover over the summer, but to learn them and use them to their fullest extent, you must remain with your Lady at all times. Do whatever is necessary to escape the old one and do not allow yourself to be forced back to that place you called home. I can and will help you, my friend, but first, you must allow me into your mind so that my plan for your freedom can be put into motion._'

"Do what you need to," Harry replied, "No matter what…I have to do…I'll never go…back."

A sense of warmth and magic rolled over Harry before the voice, almost pleased with itself, spoke to him once more, '_Thank you Harry Potter; rest assured that I will be swift with my works. Now, when you and your Lady discover your powers, you must not fear them or they shall corrupt you; I will return to you soon, but, for now, take one last gift._'

Before Harry could ask anything more, there was a soft, stunningly beautiful sound ringing in his ears, his magic almost reacting to the noise as Harry found sleep welcoming him once more, a single tear falling from his eyes as he listened.

A tear filled with an even brighter silver spark than before;

As sleep grabbed onto him, Harry finally knew the name of his mysterious benefactor, "Fawkes."

By the time he had said the word, the phoenix had flamed out of the Hospital Wing, his plans set in motion: his gift to Harry would ensure that both he and the Lady Hermione were safe from the old one's attacks and, thanks to Fawkes sharing his magic with his soon-to-be-new master, Harry would be able to protect Hermione with powers that the old one could never match.

As the old one would say, Fawkes considered this betrayal of his loyalty to the old one _for the Greater Good_…

_**HPHG**_

When Hermione opened her eyes the next morning, she felt elation as she realised that it was now her first official day as the girlfriend to her White Knight; however, when she looked to her side and saw the absence of Harry Potter, Hermione began to worry. Rising from her bed, Hermione looked through the gap in her curtains, where she then heard the sound of running water as well as what appeared to be an almost pleasant humming.

Harry must have been using the Hospital Wing showers to help clean himself up; with a sigh, Hermione was about to retreat back into the enclosed space when, as promised, the door opened and Dean and Seamus entered, both of them waving merrily to her as they stood at her side. Shaking her head, Hermione opened her curtain and watched as her guards took their places at her sides, the lithe form of Harry James Potter emerging from the showers not five minutes later, his usually messy hair now slick and flat against his head, running down to his shoulders.

"That's a hell of a lot better," he sighed, before taking Hermione in his arms and kissing her on the lips, "Good morning love."

"Good…morning," Hermione replied, running her fingers through her boyfriend's hair, feeling a new meaning to the term silky soft under her fingers. When she reached the tips, she asked, "How?"

"Thank Dobby," Harry replied, "He suggested a shampoo that is magically altered to help deal with the messiest of hairs; there's another bottle in my bag if you want to borrow it sometime love."

"Dobby?" asked Hermione suddenly, "Didn't you free him from the Malfoys a week ago?"

"Yes," Harry replied, before he looked almost sheepish as he added, "And then, when you recovered, I bound him to me; he's not a servant and I gave him full permission to request for payments, but he said, and I quote: _Dobby is paid enough knowing he works for a great man as Harry Potter sir_."

Hermione wanted to scold her boyfriend for enslaving the young elf; however, at the high-pitched impression he gave of Dobby, she found herself roaring with laughter, before she asked, "So…did you get them?"

"Oh," Harry retorted, reaching into his bag and withdrawing the notes he had made over Hermione's absence; when she saw them, however, Hermione could only gasp as she saw not the untidy scrawl that had once been the norm for Harry; instead, the writing was clear and almost fluid-like in style, as if Harry had been writing a royal declaration of some kind. Looking from the notes to her boyfriend, Hermione saw Harry smiling at her as he explained, "I couldn't let you read that mess I call writing; so, with help from Neville and the other Gryffs, I managed to fix my bad penmanship and then, well, as you can see, I made as many notes as I could."

"Harry," Hermione gasped, "These are amazing; oh thank you."

She rewarded him with another kiss, which made the very blood in Harry's veins rush with excitement as he gently pressed his head against hers as he dropped the bomb, "Though it doesn't matter anyway as Professor Dumbledore has cancelled the exams."

"Oh well," Hermione remarked, "I guess that means that you have more time for me and I have more time for you my Harry."

"Get used to it," Harry informed her, a part of him recalling Fawkes' visit from the night before, "I have the rest of my life for you Hermione."

_**HPHG**_

Returning to Gryffindor Tower was like a hero's welcome for Harry and Hermione; apparently, word had spread even further about their newfound relationship and, amidst the cheers and laughter about their future, the Gryffindors seemed to recognise the one true Alpha Male and Female among their Pride.

Then came the meeting Harry hadn't been looking forwards to: Ginny walked over to them as the two elder Gryffs took seats in front of the fireplace, running over Hermione's notes and Harry reading a book he had checked out of the library on 3rd year Charms and Defence Magic. In his mindset, if he was going to be taking Advanced Charms, then he needed to knuckle down to some serious training and, as a future Lord to his Lady, he was more determined to learn all he could to protect her.

Ginny shyly cleared her throat as she spoke up, "Erm…Harry, Hermione; I just want you both to know that I'm happy for you."

"Thanks Ginny," smiled Harry, placing his book page down, before he stood up and held out his hand, "It's good to know that there's one Weasley who's happy to see that we go together so well."

Ginny took the hand, shaking it before Harry, much to her surprise, pulled her into a warm and friendly hug, her eyes watching Hermione fearfully; when she saw that the brunette had no trouble with this, Ginny let herself be embraced by Harry as he spoke to her, "I understand that you seem almost infatuated with the Harry Potter fantasy, but while I have no real liking for taking anyone but my Hermione as my girl, you are more than welcome, in fact always welcome, to think of me as a really good friend and, if you ever need to talk about what happened with _You-Know-Who_, then I'll listen, okay Gin?"

"Kay," replied the youngest Weasley, slightly shocked at Harry's honesty. "Thanks Harry."

Unfortunately, at that exact moment, a familiar voice called out, "So Ginny, you've fallen for the little freak's ploy as well? Isn't the mudblood enough for you without starting a harem Potter?"

Harry, however, didn't rise this time: reaching for his wand, he pointed past Ginny as he commanded, "_Locomotor Mortis!_"

There was an audible crash as Ron Weasley, now bandaged up and healed, fell to the floor, his legs locked seven ways from Sunday as Harry walked over to him, his wand still out.

"Get this through your head Weasley," Harry scowled, "I can do as many spells and jinxes on you all year and never get bored; you are a useless waste of space who isn't even worth my anger anymore. In the mean time, here's a present for you: _Arachiaxus!_"

The scream that tore through Gryffindor Tower was the loudest that had ever been recorded by the lions; when everyone turned to the source of the scream, they saw Ronald Weasley being bound by what could only be described as a horde of Acromantulas, their webbing tying him to the ground, Ron unable to do anything except what anybody witnessing their biggest fears would do.

First he pissed himself; then he shit himself; then he fainted, leaving the Gryffindors to laugh at his poor luck as Harry pocketed his wand and returned to Hermione's side, his little Spider Swarm Jinx wearing off after only two minutes.

Ginny, looking to the webbed up carcass of her older brother, was about to ask Harry if Ron was all right; however, the memory of what the git had said stopped her as Harry, sitting back down, calmly remarked, "I'm going to have to practice that one."

"What?" laughed Ginny, now joining her friends, "Harry: is that all you can say?"

"Yep," Harry answered, before indicating the book, "According to the texts, that jinx is supposed to last for nearly half-an-hour or until the victim is a living cocoon of spider-webs."

Ginny visibly shuddered as she found herself picturing what could have happened if Ron had been forced to endure that level of punishment: hopefully he would learn his lesson.

And hopefully, pigs would fly…

_**HPHG**_

The day before they were to leave for King's Cross, Harry and Hermione found themselves being summoned by Professor Dumbledore; Harry, recalling Fawkes' warning, turned to Hermione as they walked along the familiar corridor. "Hermione, no matter what, make sure you don't meet Dumbledore's eyes and, no matter what I say or do in here, know that I love you and always will."

"All right Harry," Hermione smiled, before Harry spoke the password and the two went up to the office, where they found a mix of welcome and unwelcome sights.

The welcome sights came in the form of Professor McGonagall, though her face showed a sense of stern disappointment that Harry supposed had something to do with the unwelcome sights.

Mrs Weasley and Ron were sat on the other side of the room, the red-headed male still slightly pale from his arachnid encounter not too long before; Harry had learned that Ron had been on the edge of a breakdown and that, had the Spider Swarm Jinx lasted any longer, he would have been unable to return to Hogwarts.

Harry couldn't see the downside to that; however, as he stood across from Professor Dumbledore, idly stroking Fawkes as if to reassure the light creature that all was well, Harry found his voice hardening as he asked, "So, what has the prat been telling you and why am I here?"

"Harry," Dumbledore began, Harry feeling a sense of hatred as he always did whenever the old man used his name. "Before we begin, I must ask you: was the mental bullying of Mr Weasley really necessary?"

"Necessary," Harry remarked, "No, but it was fun!"

"You dark wizard!" yelled Ron, but Harry was ready.

"Watch out: spider about," he commented, before a loud scuttling could be heard, instantly shutting Ron up while Mrs Weasley looked at Harry with a sense of disappointment.

"Harry dear, why would you attack Ron anyway? He and Hermione have always had fallings out, but this?"

"Falling out," laughed Harry sardonically, "Is that what he told you ma'am? Well, as the key witness to that event, let _me_ tell you what happened: after Hermione recovered, I went to Professor McGonagall about changing my electives and then went to Gryffindor Tower where I was congratulated for finding my girlfriend in my best friend."

"Yes," Molly Weasley smiled, "I heard you and Ginny get along much…"

"Ginny?" asked Harry, "What tabloid reader told you that? No Mrs Weasley, I speak of my one true love: Hermione," he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the Weasley matriarch's face falling and McGonagall suddenly developing a look of understanding as Harry continued. "Anyway, I returned to Gryffindor Tower to cheers and congratulations from my friends; then, someone, who will remain nameless, asked me what I saw in her and said she would be better as a…a…"

"Practice…girlfriend," Hermione finished for him, seeing Harry's temper rising again, though she wasn't faring any better.

With a sigh, Harry continued, "Yes…that: anyway, do you think I was going to let someone insult my Hermione so easily? Especially since it is the fault of that person that one Hermione Granger almost lost her life to a fully-grown mountain troll or didn't he tell you why Hermione was _really_ in the girl's bathroom Halloween before last?"

Silence gave Harry his answer as he then heard a light sniffling; Minerva, watching with shock as she realised she was being lied to all this time, could only marvel at the speed in which Harry responded to Hermione's sadness. He moved like lightning and was soon at her side, comforting her as he continued his tale. "Then, not one week ago, your daughter, Mrs Weasley, approached me and said she was happy for Hermione and I; when we hugged and I invited her to be my good friend, without being my girlfriend, your son made a remark about me forming a harem involving your daughter and then dared to call my Hermione a…a…_mudblood!_"

The word came from Harry's lips in nothing more than a hushed whisper as he looked to Ron and Mrs Weasley, his temper slowly rising once more as he explained, "My mother was Muggleborn and she endured that word too many times; so I will be damned when I allow my friends to hear it directed at them, let alone from someone they consider a friend. If someone deserves to be punished today, its that insolent little red-haired git you call a son because, as far as I'm concerned, our friendship is over and, if I _ever_ hear him mention that word to my Hermione, then I will make sure that Ronald Weasley can't curse the next generation with his idiot genes."

The threat, and the almost machine-like voice that spoke it, told all present that Harry meant every word; he then decided to really go for the gold as he looked at Dumbledore, his eyes focused on a point just a few inches to the left, "And, if you think I'm going back to Durzkaban for the summer, you can go to hell. Better yet, go to Durzkaban because I sure as hell am not: I am spending the summer with my girlfriend and coming back in September with her at my side."

"But Harry," Dumbledore began; Harry had had enough.

"It's Mr Potter to you," Harry snarled, "And I am not going back. Period. If I have to, then I'll run away and I'll keep running; you are my headmaster and therefore cannot tell me what to do outside these walls, do we understand one another sir?"

Dumbledore, seeing a certain other teenager standing before him, had to realise he had been beaten; however, Albus Dumbledore didn't give up as he replied, "Yes…Mr Potter."

His mind, however, was making a whole new set of plans to get the boy back under his rightful place: as the weapon of the _real_ hero of the light side.

_**HPHG**_

As Harry and Hermione boarded the Hogwarts Express, they found themselves flanked by what may as well have been all of Gryffindor; shaking his head, Harry made his way to a compartment where he found Neville reading through a rather old looking textbook, an unknown blonde girl sitting opposite him. Opening the compartment, Harry waved to Neville as he asked, "Mind if we join you Neville?"

"Not at all Harry," replied the young Longbottom, indicating the empty seats as Harry and Hermione joined them.

Noticing the looks he was getting from the book, Neville explained, "This is something that's been in my family for years: it's the Longbottom Codex; a guidebook and journal on family roles and responsibilities; it also names the allies of my families and even has a few spells that only a Longbottom could master."

"Really?" asked Hermione, "Can I take a look Neville?"

"Sorry Hermione," Neville answered, "Only a Longbottom or the betrothed of one can look at it; oh, and speaking of girls, allow me to introduce Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw and a good friend of mine."

"Pleasure," Luna replied, shaking Hermione's hand before she watched as Harry lightly kissed the back of her hand; Luna was a blue-eyed girl who reminded Harry of an angel in human form; she was wearing Ravenclaw robes and, as Harry looked down, he then saw that she wasn't wearing any shoes.

"Where are…" he began, but Luna cut him off.

"I seem to have things go missing a lot; I suspect Nargles," she answered, giving him a kind smile as she added, "It's a pleasure to meet you for real Sire Potter."

"Sire?" asked Harry, earning a look of shock from Neville and Luna.

"Sure," Neville answered, watching as Hermione seemed interested in Luna's mention of the Nargles. "It's what they call the Last Heir of an Ancient Family like yours; I mean, you should actually go to Gringotts Harry; with you approaching 13, you're entitled to your Codex and, as the Last Potter, you can declare yourself Lord of the Family as long as you have a reasonable Vassal of the Lord to guide you until you turn sixteen."

"So it's like emancipation?" asked Hermione, "He'd be in charge, but someone else would be watching over him."

"That's right," Neville agreed.

Hermione shared a look with Harry, the young wizard heaving a sigh as he shrugged, "Gringotts, here we come," he smiled, watching as the train rolled on its way to King's Cross.

_**Chapter 2 and it seems that our Oncoming Storm has finally swept over Hogwarts, but will there be repercussions or will Fawkes' plan – whatever it is – come to pass?**_

_**Also, what surprises await Harry and Hermione at Gringotts and who will Harry choose as his Vassal?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out…**_

_**In the next chapter: Harry meets the Grangers and begins to enjoy his summer; Gringotts reveals the reason behind Fawkes' visit and Harry has a new friend…you could say he's MAN'S BEST FRIEND;**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**OC SPELLS:**_

_**Arachiaxus: **_**The Spider Swarm Jinx: **_**Unleashes a swarm of spiders – or, with enough power Acromantulas – upon a victim and binds them in a cocoon of webbing; can last up to 30 minutes;**_


	3. The Winds of Change

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**2:**_

_**66 Reviews in 2 chapters; I'm impressed and wish to thank all who reviewed, alerted and favoured this story:**_

_**Cassandra30: There will be those who stand with Harry and they are two who do;**_

_**Paladeus: the vassal will be Harry's subordinate, but they will also be recognised as his contact/confidant: I already have an idea on who it's going to be;**_

_**Maddog285: it was nasty wasn't it?**_

_**DragonFoxx: Not until his usual appearance in canon, though, like most fanfics, he will be a little bit OOC;**_

_**Theforgotten13: It just seemed right: I mean, when we see or read about Harry's temper, it is like an oncoming storm; as for your comment, all I can say is…okay;**_

_**Redwoodx: I may make a little mention on that in the not too distant future;**_

_**Nym Potter: No he won't;**_

_**T-TrainorTurkeyT: It was taken from Who Am I, but it was just so cool that I couldn't think of any other way to describe it;**_

_**Wonderbee31: Now what kind of writer would I be if I let that whiskered w****r win?**_

_**Voldemort is Dead: Quite the evil idea…and yet, I love it;**_

_**Perminately Lost In Thought: Of course you can borrow it; I agree that the twins could do so much more, which is why they're included a lot in my fanfics;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: Firstly, so do I, hence why I created it; the silver in his tears are…FIND OUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER; I also have the idea on who to make the vassal: also, I hope you don't mind, but I may borrow a few lines or ideas that you used in Eyes of the Serpent; and, once again, you're the first reviewer for this chapter: it's official, you're my fave reviewer MDw;**_

Chapter 3: The Winds of Change

As the Hogwarts Express rolled into King's Cross, Harry gave Neville a verbal invitation to meet up over the holidays and said he would either send Hedwig or Dobby to confirm the invite; either way, Neville was more than happy to oblige to the request. Hermione, meanwhile, had gotten on very well with Luna and, as the train slowed down to a near-stop, she made the suggestion that they too meet up and discuss these creatures Luna had talked about.

Once off the train, Harry had practically run through the barrier, as if hoping to avoid the Weasleys, where Hermione gave him a soft kiss on his cheek as she whispered, "If you wait here Harry, I'll speak to Mum and Dad."

"Be quick," Harry suggested, his eyes catching sight of a familiar large man almost parting the King's Cross crowd like the Red Sea. Following her boyfriend's gaze, Hermione nodded as she seemed to understand what he was trying to say to her; looking around, Hermione caught sight of her parents smiling at the sight of their daughter. Before he knew what was happening, Harry found himself laughing as he saw a new side to Hermione; the brown-haired angel that he called his girlfriend seemed to throw off her bossiness and know-it-all rule-keeping attitude and replace it with a teenage girl who was just happy to see her parents.

Mr and Mrs Granger, both of whom showed Harry where Hermione got her looks from as well as her attitude and eagerness for knowledge, both hugged their daughter before Hermione led them across the platform to where Harry was waiting.

"Mum, Dad," Hermione spoke up, "Allow me to introduce my boyfriend and best friend Harry Potter; Harry, my love, allow me to introduce Daniel and Emma Granger."

Harry held out his hand and shook Mr Granger's hand firmly: with his wild dark hair and deep brown eyes, Harry thought he was looking at himself in a few years time. Keeping that thought to himself, Harry spoke up, "It's a pleasure to meet you sir; I hope I meet all the expectations any Father would wish on the boyfriend of his daughter."

Daniel, or Dan as he sometimes preferred to be known, had been a _little_ sceptic when he had heard mention of the word boyfriend, but, at Harry's honesty and the way Hermione seemed both stunned and awed by his words, the elder Granger male felt that he couldn't hate this boy for anything wrong. Like any Father, Dan wanted only what was best for his little girl and, despite the first impressions he had been given when seeing Harry the previous summer, it was clear that this boy was exactly what was best for Hermione.

When Dan released Harry's hand, the young wizard turned and gently took Emma's hand, before he gave it a light kiss, as if a real lord in medieval times, before he spoke up, "Mrs Granger, it is a real privilege to meet you and see just where Hermione's loveliness comes from."

Emma fell in love with Harry herself at that moment: kneeling down, she threw her arms around him, not before noticing a sharp flinch and a strong intake of breath that may as well have been the hiss of a serpent. Hermione had said on a few occasions that Harry was unaccustomed to being given such nice treatments, but to flinch from a warm hug was something Emma hadn't been expecting.

"Harry," she addressed him with a real kind air, "You don't have to be so formal with us: please, feel free to call us Dan and Emma, okay?"

"O…okay," Harry replied, noticing a slightly worried look on the face of Hermione, as if she had noticed his discomfort with Emma's gesture; once Emma had let go of him, Harry then continued, "I'm glad I made such a nice impression on you both and want you to know that I could ask for no-one other than your daughter to stand at my side."

Dan's doubts about Harry were laid to rest with that statement: in the past, there had been those who would use Hermione because of her knowledge or because they felt sorry for her: Harry was neither of those things – his love and care for Hermione was genuine and, no matter how Dan or Emma looked at it, he would always be there to be at her side, even if he was a thousand miles away, he would find a way.

'Her real White Knight,' thought Dan, recalling the letter Hermione had sent when she had requested for Harry to join them for the summer.

"Well then," Emma smiled, "If you can follow us Harry, we'll take you to our place and I can get tea started: is spaghetti Bolognese all right for you?"

"Sounds perfect," Harry answered, before he turned and began to push his trunks towards the exit.

However, they had barely gotten to three feet from the door before Harry found his shoulder being grabbed by a strong, familiar grip, the muscles in his right arm straining with pain as Harry was whipped around, revealing the face of one Vernon Dursley, who looked both angry and humiliated.

"Where do you think you're going Boy?" he asked, not removing his hand from Harry's shoulder, the blood in Harry's right arm being cut off by the pressure.

"With my friends," Harry replied, "Didn't you get the letter?"

"You know full well that you do not use that freakishness to speak with us," Vernon growled, "Now, where are these friends?"

"Right here," Dan's voice replied, the rather built form of the Granger patriarch appearing next to Harry, "And you will let go of Harry or else."

"Who are you to tell me what I do to my property?" asked Vernon: _that_ was the wrong thing to say.

Before his time as a dentist, Dan had trained with the police force and one of the many things he had learned was how to take down an enemy in greater mass than his own; taking Vernon's wrist, Dan squeezed two fingers into the flesh of the man's arm before he twisted round and flipped the large man over his head, Vernon not only flying over Dan, but taking Harry with him. Only Harry's two years of Quidditch reflexes saved him from a serious injury; as he followed the bulk of his uncle's body, Harry twisted round, landing on the gripped arm, the pain feeling like a numbing sensation that ran up his arm.

The impact on Vernon, however, was greater as he was forced to release Harry's arm, the young wizard gently rotating his shoulder and spinning his arm around as if to try and get the blood flowing again. However, Vernon wasn't going to let go of something that his monkey-shit mind believed was his by right.

Scrabbling to his feet, Vernon went to strike back at Dan…instead, he struck Harry, sending the young wizard flying through the air, the sound of trunks and Hedwig's cage clattering to the floor indicating where Harry had crashed, his ribs buckling against the rail of his trolley.

That was the last straw for Dan; seeing Harry grabbed by this man had enraged him; seeing Harry wounded while Dan had been trying to protect him had made him furious, but seeing Harry, with what could only be described as razor-sharp reflexes, jump in the way of this human locomotive of a man to stop him harming the male Granger…and _then_ for Harry to be wounded with his ribs buckling and blood now pooling from his mouth was the last straw for Dan.

He wheeled round, putting all his speed into his strike as he caught Vernon with the front of his steel-capped shoes, the fat man sent sprawling across the floor as Dan walked across to him and, stepping on Vernon's chest, gave him one warning only, "Don't you ever call any child your property and don't you ever try and come near me or my family ever again and that _includes_ Harry; if you do, I won't be held responsible for what happens."

Walking back across the platform, Dan found Harry staggering to his feet, his hand supporting his side as he looked to Dan, "Are…are you okay Dan?" he asked, fighting back a wave of pain as he went to gather his things together.

"I'm all right Harry," Dan replied, "But…what about…"

"Flesh wound," Harry replied, "He barely broke the skin, let alone the bone: he's either slacking or your toss of him was more effective than we thought."

With help from Hermione, Harry managed to gather his things together, Hedwig screeching with the indication of someone who had endured déjà vu in pain, while at the same time feeling a strong sense of worry for her master. It was only when the Grangers, who had to inform station security that they were taking Harry to a specialist for his wounds, managed to get their things to their car that Harry spoke again, "Dobby?"

With his signature crack, Dobby appeared before Harry, his eyes wide with shock as he saw his friend wounded, "Who has dared to harm Harry Potter sir?"

"It's nothing Dobby," gasped Harry, wiping blood from his lips and still wincing as pain racked his side, "I want you to take our things to the Granger's house and then inform Madam Pomfrey that I may need her help."

"At once sir," Dobby replied, vanishing with a click of his fingers; moments later, their trunks and Hedwig's cage vanished as well, leaving Harry to be assisted into the Granger's car, where Hermione insisted he lay his head on her lap.

Dan and Emma, meanwhile, were still feeling a sense of fear linking them at Harry's choice of words about his condition: either the fat man was slacking or Dan's throw had been more effective than Harry thought. Once again, Dan found his thoughts being corrected as he looked at his daughter comforting the boy…no, the _man_ she loved: describing Harry as a man was the only thing Dan could do. It took a great amount of courage and strength to smile through such an ordeal, but to pass it off as saying _it could be worse_ was like comparing the damage of a tornado to a volcanic eruption.

When he had been training with the police, Dan had seen many rookies pale in fear at such pain and such a monstrosity, but, seeing Harry not only endure it, not only laugh about it, but literally dive in the way of such an attack that Dan may as well have been a VIP told the Granger patriarch all he needed to know. Harry's emotions were based around the respect for those he held close to him: Hermione meant the world to him and so, through her, he knew that her parents were considered members of that world and that was worth putting his own health on the line for. Dan had finally accepted that Harry was the one for Hermione and, if it was the last thing he did, then Dan would make sure that he was able to hear Harry refer to the Grangers as his family.

Emma, meanwhile, was thinking about her Father, who had served in the wars and battled forces like no child could ever understand: every time he had come back, he had told her stories about the pain and angst he had felt knowing that men, women and children were dying for the greed and ego of their country and their country's leaders. He had told her that, to look in the eyes of the innocent and kill them in cold blood took a darkness that no-one should ever understand, but, to witness that pain and know you had to laugh about it took a level of emotional blackness that only a few chosen people could possess and, when you found that blackness, you could freely call yourself a warrior.

Well now, Emma Granger understood what her Father had meant by that: she had found that warrior and seen his blackness; she had seen his heart and seen him leap in front of the innocent to protect them, even if his life had been on the line:

That warrior's name was Harry Potter and, if it was the last thing she did, Emma was determined to make sure that Harry shed some light into that blackness as her Father had also given her a warning;

"If you ever meet the blackness Emi," he had told her, "Don't let it consume you as it will leave your heart as cold as death itself and love, family and respect: all these things will go out the window."

'I won't Father,' Emma thought, watching as Dan turned off the road towards their home, 'I'll protect Harry from his blackness: for all our sakes, but mostly for his.'

_**HPHG**_

When Dan and Emma pulled into the garage of their home in Crawley, Harry was once again assisted by Hermione, who was shocked to then discover not only Madam Pomfrey, but Professor McGonagall and a third woman she had never seen before: this woman looked like someone important as she bore the Ministry crest upon her robe; she had dark blonde hair and an almost apathetic expression on her face that seemed to shift to a look of worry when she saw Harry. Her eyes were a light shade of blue and, as she looked to Hermione, the young witch noticed a look of sorrow and a sense of guilt in the woman's eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Dan, noticing the look on his daughter's face.

"Calm yourself Mr Granger," Professor McGonagall spoke up, "I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts: you may remember me from when I told your daughter she was a witch."

"I remember you," Dan remarked, a part of him sounding like he regretted letting this woman through the door all those years ago.

"With me," continued McGonagall, "Are Poppy Pomfrey, the mediwitch at the school and this is Madam Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; she is here at a report from one of our people that Mr Potter there was involved in an incident at King's Cross."

"An incident?" asked Emma, watching as her husband opened the door to their house, "Is that what you'd call it McGonagall? Because let me tell you: had Harry not been the brave man that we hear so much about from our daughter, my husband could have been seriously injured."

"What is she talking about Mr Potter?" asked McGonagall, watching as Hermione gently lay the boy down on the sofa, before proceeding to remove his shirt.

"No," Harry gasped, taking Hermione's hand; looking to the adults, Harry spoke up, "Why don't you ask Professor Dumbledore? I'm sure he knows all about what I endure at Durzkaban, doesn't he? Being the great lord of the sodding light that he is!"

"Mr Potter," McGonagall scolded him, "Kindly refrain from using such language against a respected member of the community."

"Oh of course ma'am," Harry remarked, struggling through his pains as he sat up, his emerald eyes alive with energy as he looked at McGonagall, "Just as long as you kindly explain to me why the wizarding community refrained from helping me escape the Dursleys all those years, or why the respected member you speak of left me in hell and yet, when last we spoke, seemed to do all he could to try and convince me to go back?"

"Harry," Hermione whispered, taking his hands, "Please calm down: you're not there any more and you're not going back there: Mum and Dad won't let you. Now, why don't you want me to take a look at your wound?"

"I think I can answer that one Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey answered, looking to Harry as if seeking permission; when she saw him nod, she continued, "Over the past two years, I have tried suggesting to Mr Potter that he allow me to help heal the many different wounds on his body; when I asked him about them, however, he wouldn't reply. Now, given what we heard from King's Cross, I suggest that you, Mr Potter, swallow your pride and allow me to take a proper look at you instead of using diagnostic charms."

"Only," countered Harry, looking to the three witches, "If you swear never to reveal what I say here without my express permission and, I'm sorry Madam Bones, but that must also include you."

"Of course Sire Potter," Amelia replied, her chosen honorific of Harry making the two Gryffindors remember what Luna had called Harry; until he healed, he would have to postpone his trip to Diagon Alley.

Minerva, as Head of Gryffindor, would always be the first to protect her cubs, but, if Harry was right and he was being harmed at the Dursleys, then she would need to inform Albus. However, the boy was also right in the suggestion that the headmaster had done all he could to change Harry's mind against keeping away from Durzkaban as he called it.

Making up her mind, Minerva chose her loyalty to her cubs over that of her loyalty to Hogwarts and swore her oath, Poppy and Amelia following suit before Harry, with a nod to Hermione, lay back and allowed her to gently remove his shirt, but what they saw beneath the clothes would make the witches glad that they'd sworn their oaths.

Harry's body could only be described as a woven mosaic of bruises, scars and welts, the skin on his right side heavily bruised by his latest escapade, the deep bite mark received from the Basilisk still showing on his arm despite Fawkes' tears. Seeing her boyfriend in such a state had Hermione close to tears, but, when she saw the brave face that Harry bore, it seemed to give her the strength to carry on.

With a smile to Hermione, Harry looked to Madam Pomfrey as he asked, "So what do you want to know?"

Minerva prided herself on being a calm, fair-minded, never-cursing witch, but even she had a limit, "Where the hell did all those come from Potter?"

"Vernon," Harry replied simply, "Petunia and Dudley: the latter used to play this fun game called Harry Hunting where he and his guerrilla friends would hunt me down and kick the shit out of me or until they could run no more. Petunia used to pride herself on throwing things at me whenever I asked questions or spoke about my parents and Vernon considered me his personal punching bag and emotional vent: he used to have this razor-sharp belt buckle that he stoke in the fire and brand my…my…see for yourself."

Fighting through the pain, Harry turned over and revealed a whole web of wounds on his back, some old and slowly healing and some new and just beginning to mend; the one thing they all had in common was the fact that they would be there forever.

"What kind of monsters…" gasped Dan, but then recalled the man he had met at the station and silenced his own question.

"It got worse when I started Hogwarts," Harry replied, "They'd lock my things away and resort to more feverish punishments; at one point, my darling aunt and uncle banded together and did _this!_" He then pulled down the waistband of his jeans until the adults and Hermione could see the small of his back where the word _FREAK_ was carved into his spine, the messy scrawl of the scars indicating something with barbed wire.

Looking to McGonagall, Dan stood protectively between Harry and the adults as he spoke with a tone most unlike him, "There is no way in hell he leaves this house unless it is to have fun and enjoy himself. If you wish to take him back to that prison, then you will have to kill me to do it because I owe Harry a great debt for what he endured today and, as you would say, as Head of my Family, I repay that debt by accepting this boy as my ward and may your laws be damned because that right starts today."

Amelia was now speaking in response to that, "Sire Potter, do you trust this man?"

"I do ma'am," replied the wounded wizard, "And please ma'am, call me Harry."

"Then you may address me as Amelia," countered the witch, before she pulled out her wand and gently tapped Dan on the head, "As Head of the DMLE," she announced, "I, Amelia Bones hereby allow, accept and personally encourage the guardianship of Sire Harry James Potter to Mr Daniel Granger. Until he is of age, Sire Potter is considered a ward to the Granger Family and under their personal protections, do you agree?"

"I do," Dan replied, aware of a silvery glow enveloping his body as he turned to Harry, "Do you Harry?"

"As long as Hermione is my girlfriend," Harry replied, "I will always consider it a personal pleasure to consider you and Emma as my family."

That was enough for Amelia, but Emma, hearing Harry's words, finally broke down and ran to his side, wrapping her arms around him, being careful not to aggravate his wounds as Minerva gave Madam Pomfrey a direct instruction to do anything and everything she could to rid Harry of his wounds and abrasions.

At that moment, Minerva was wishing that someone _else_ had come to take Harry from Privet Drive all those years ago, even if they _had_ come after Albus and Minerva had left.

It wasn't until she was back in her office that Minerva broke down herself, her mask falling as she looked to the infamous Gryffindor Honour Roll, two particular names adorning the top of the list.

"Lily," she whispered, "James…please forgive me."

_**HPHG**_

Within three days, Harry was up and about once again, his wounds healed not only by Madam Pomfrey's healing magic, but also by the constant presence of his loving guardians and the girl of his dreams. Add to that the fact that, on July 31st, he would become Lord of his Family and Harry had a strong feeling that so much was going to change with his third year.

The winds of change were blowing and they were blowing in Harry's favour; every morning, he was up and, even though Dan and Emma told him otherwise, making breakfast for the Grangers before knuckling down to some serious studying with his girlfriend as well as sending the odd letter to his friends.

Then, two days before his birthday, Harry was just finishing off his morning routine when he had a distinct impression that he was being watched; discarding the now-washed plates and bowls into the cupboards, Harry walked towards the front door and pulled it open, his eyes exploring the street where the Grangers' house was situated. First, he looked around and then, as he was about to pull his head back in, a low, almost pitying whine came from across the road; stepping out of the house, but keeping the door open in case of danger, Harry peered into a selection of bushes opposite the house and, as his eyes adjusted to the foliage, he gasped.

Staring back at him were a pair of golden-coloured eyes that were attached to a shaggy black furry head and body; as Harry looked, the rest of the body emerged from the foliage and a large black dog walked across the road and sat in front of Harry, his tongue lolled from his mouth as he seemed to be happy to see the young wizard.

"Hello there boy," Harry smiled, reaching out and petting the dog, earning another whine, though this one of contentment as the dog nuzzled its head against Harry's gentle hand. "Are you lost?"

"Harry?"

Looking back, Harry saw Dan watching him with a smile, before the male Granger gestured to the animal that Harry was petting, "Who's that?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, now running his hand along the dog's neckline, "But he hasn't got a collar and he just came up to me; I think he's a stray. Say Dan, do you think I could…I mean, if you don't…"

"Do you want to keep him?" asked Dan, smiling as he saw how well, and how happy the presence of the canine made Harry feel; it was like the dog was an old friend and a part of Harry had been permanently healed by the animal.

"Yes please," Harry replied, the dog barking happily as Harry felt Dan's hand on his shoulder, a smile on the face of his guardian.

"He's your responsibility then," Dan informed him.

"Of course."

"He'll need a wash."

"I know," laughed Harry, watching as his new pet seemed to stand at his side, a sense of loyalty linking them, "Besides, there's something about him that I like: he could be a magical animal."

"Could be," Dan agreed, "Now, what are you going to call him?"

Harry gave the dog a full examination, as if trying to find inspiration for a name; when he saw the sharp, protective claws and the large, padded feet, he asked, "Well…what about…Padfoot?"

"Padfoot?" asked Dan, "Why that?"

"I don't know," Harry remarked, "But something about him makes me think of my Dad and, when I think of Dad, all I can think about is that name."

"I see," Dan replied, knowing that, if anything made Harry think of his Father, then it was just another reason to keep the warrior within happy. "Okay then, Padfoot it is."

The dog, now Padfoot, barked happily again and licked Harry's face, before he led his new pet inside for a well-needed bath; if he was afraid that Hermione and Emma wouldn't like the dog, Harry found that his fears were grounded as Hermione found Padfoot to be good for protections and Emma, despite being more of a cat person, found him to be a perfect companion for Harry.

After all, dog's were _man's_ best friend and Harry, with that blackness in him, was definitely a man!

Padfoot was here to stay, but, while Harry and the others all loved him for the dog that he was, the _real_ being within Padfoot felt a sense of elation and a strong duty to protect his master.

Or should that be…his pup…

_**Chapter 3 and Harry has met Padfoot and gained a new family and a new friend, but can the being beneath the fur keep his identity a secret?**_

_**Also, with his coming of age approaching, can Harry adjust to the surprises that await him?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out…**_

_**In the next chapter: A few surprises are revealed on Harry's 13**__**th**__** birthday; Gringotts reveals the reason behind Fawkes' visit and Harry and Hermione discover a few new abilities in their magical repertoire…**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, please check out the poll in my profile for what will soon be my newest Harry/Hermione story;**_


	4. Summer Days and Knights

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**3:**_

_**Eliizilla-rawr: oops, that was a good point: maybe I'll up the rating;**_

_**Zamia: Oh, believe you and me, they will soon; glad you liked what I did;**_

_**Celexs Draconia: The more Harry's away from DD's trap, the more he begins to recall – be it literally or emotionally – about his parents: he DOESN'T know Sirius IS Padfoot;**_

_**Harryhermionealways: no he can't, but who says he won't try?**_

_**StormyFireDragon: I'm glad you're enjoying this story and, most of it IS based on some that Marius wrote in the recommended story;**_

_**LovinLife710: Quite a while as it happens as I'm going to show in the next chapter;**_

_**Aealket: Oh believe me, he'll try to kick up a storm – no pun intended – fairly soon, but for now, he's keeping things on the down low;**_

_**Voldemort is Dead: sadly he won't, but I hope the Gringotts part in this is to your liking;**_

Chapter 4: Summer Days and Knights

If there was one thing that Harry had never believed to exist, it would have to be the aspect of fun over the summer: he had always dreaded the summer because it meant he couldn't escape the Dursleys or Dudley's gang of ogres that would have made Crabbe and Goyle feel right at home. All the time he was at Hogwarts, Harry had actually been wishing that he didn't have to return there because it meant more pain and more rounds of Harry Hunting and, if he was lucky, it meant surviving until September First.

All that had changed, however, when he had been asked to become the ward and responsibility of Dan and Emma Granger: sure, it was enough for them to know he was the boyfriend of their daughter as well as a potential Lord, but, for the first time since Hagrid had told him those fated words, Harry began to feel that he found people who liked him, respected him and would stand with him simply because he was, in their eyes, just another boy. Once his wounds had started to clear up, Dan had insisted on Harry joining him on an early morning run that worked up quite the appetite for both man and beast as Padfoot also joined them. Following this, his studies and daily chores were continued, but this time, Harry was able to do them at his own pace, even with Emma constantly reminding him that he didn't _have_ to do it.

The truth was that Harry enjoyed doing these minor tasks: not because he had been forced to by those monsters he'd called family, nor was it because he found it to be instinctive that he kept himself busy, be it through chore work or through his summer homework with Hermione; no, the truth was that Harry enjoyed doing the minor tasks because it made him feel at ease to know he was rewarding the Grangers' kindness and hospitality. In the worst case scenario, he could have been forced back to Privet Drive, but, with help from Dan's protective fatherly streak as well as the _real_ motherly instincts that Emma had around him, Harry could safely say that he was never again going to darken that doorstep.

Out of the two Granger elders, however, Harry found himself wanting to repay Emma more than he did Dan: she was like a real mother to him without trying to force him to do anything he didn't want to or even try to rearrange his ribs with one of her hugs. When she held him, be it to just comfort him or on a whim, Emma's warm, friendly hugs made Harry feel safe and secure, without the added troubles of wondering how her children survived for so long when their mother crushed them like that.

Even more than Dan, Emma and even Hermione, however, Harry also found that he had an advocate in Padfoot: the shaggy dog always slept at the foot of Harry's bed – or rather, Harry and Hermione as Dan and Emma found it useless to convince them otherwise – and, on the odd occasion that Harry needed him, the black furry animal would be there in an instant. Every morning, during their runs, Dan made sure that Harry enjoyed himself without pushing him over the limit and, nine times out of ten, these moments of enjoyment involved Harry and Padfoot having races through the nearby park or along a street back to their house.

The one thing that had mattered to Dan was that Harry was happy and, as his sweat-drenched, smiling face would convince the Granger elder that he was just that, Dan felt proud of his achievements and glad that he had accepted the Bones woman's offer to become Harry's guardian.

All in all, Harry was having one hell of a summer and, as July 31st came closer with each passing day, Harry found he enjoyed every minute of it, not having any idea as to just how much his life was about to change.

_**HPHG**_

Most normal thirteen year olds were woken simply by the pure ecstasy of the fact that they had their birthday, but Harry wasn't normal, nor was he woken by his own will. In fact, at 8:30am on the morning of his birthday, his wake-up call came in the form of a wet, slobbery tongue licking his face as well as Hermione's cries of "Harry, wake up: Harry, come on!"

Finally, after wiping down his face and taking a shower – a ritual he always undertook before his morning run – Harry found himself downstairs and in the arms of Emma Granger as she gently kissed his forehead and whispered, "Happy birthday Harry."

"Thanks Emma," Harry smiled, a part of him hating it, as he always did, when Emma released him. It was as if fate could read minds however as Hermione soon wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and gently kissed his cheek, her arms never leaving her boyfriend.

Looking around the kitchen, Harry saw a welcome spread of birthday breakfast as well as a few cards and, as he was about to ask the reason for the spread, there was a familiar crack and Dobby appeared, bearing a few presents.

"Harry Potter sir," he squealed, "Dobby is here to wish Harry Potter well wishes on his birthday sir."

"Thanks Dobby," Harry replied, looking to the elf as he added, "You didn't have to do all this though."

"He didn't," Hermione admitted, "I did: I decided that you should have your birthday off."

"And that includes the run," added Dan's voice, the male Granger making his presence known behind them, "Today's your special day Harry and there'll be no call for anything other than what you want."

"In that case," laughed Harry, "Everyone tuck in: we've got a busy day ahead of us."

Over breakfast, Harry opened the cards and gifts he had received: one was from Neville and bore the acceptance to Harry's invite; a look to Emma had Harry soon sending a reply with Dobby to a party that would take place later in the day. Another was from Luna and was decorated with what appeared to be coloured stars that spun around each other like looking at an atom through a microscope. The third card was from Dan and Emma and also gave Harry his first taste of Muggle's tradition of birthday money as he found £30 inside and a message:

_We're really glad you're all better;_

_After all, birthday is about family and that's who you are…son._

"Dan," gasped Harry, his eyes dampening as he read the message, "Emma: is…is this…for real?"

"If you want it to be," Emma replied, "You can still call us Dan and Emma, but it would also make you a part of our family or, given that one of our stops today is Gringotts, it would make us members of your family."

"Thank you," Harry sniffed, feeling Dan's strong, friendly touch on his shoulder before Emma ruffled his black hair and Hermione seemed content to just kiss him on the cheek.

The last card was from Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey and Amelia Bones, the latter having written her own message, which instructed Harry to read aloud. "I, Harry James Potter, on my coming of age, accept the responsibility of an adult within my magic and vow never to use my magic outside the presence of my legal guardians."

The card shone with the same silvery glow that Dan had been covered by when Amelia had named him Harry's guardian; following that, a parchment fell from the card and, when he'd placed the card aside, Harry read the letter:

_Dear Sire Potter,_

_Many happy returns on your coming of age: as you are a Sire in our world, we of the DMLE came to a unanimous agreement that you and Miss Granger are to be exempt from the forbidden use of magic outside Hogwarts under the condition that you only use your magic either in magically-hidden districts such as Diagon Alley or within the walls of the Granger Family Home. Now that you have declared you accept these terms, your magic will be yours to use as you wish and I can only hope you use it responsibly._

_I have spoken with Mafalda Hopkirk about your current warning and, with help from some anonymous sources, have had your record cleared; I ask for no means of payment for this gift, Sire Potter, except the knowledge that you are safe._

_Hope you have a really magical birthday and good luck with September;_

_Amelia Bones_

_Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

_Ministry of Magic_

"Wow," gasped Hermione, reading over Harry's shoulder, "This is huge."

"What's happened?" asked Emma.

"Let me show you," Harry smiled, before he pulled back his chair, reached for his wand – which was always kept on a makeshift holster that Dobby had fashioned for him – and, with a smile, declared, "_Scourgify, Wingardium Leviosa, Evanesco!_"

With three light sparks from Harry's wand, the breakfast things were cleaned, hovered into their cupboards and drawers and then the table cleared for the rest of the day's activities.

"You can use magic?" asked Dan sardonically, "That is pretty big, but what's this about conditions?"

"They still wish Hermione and I to respect the Statute of Secrecy," Harry explained, watching as Hermione tested her wand with a few even simpler spells; when there was no comeback from the Ministry, she actually laughed before leaping into Harry's arms and kissing him senseless.

"This is why I am so happy to be your girlfriend," she told him, before backing off as she recalled that her parents were still in the room.

Harry could only agree before he turned to his gifts that Dobby had brought for him: from McGonagall, he received his own copy of the 3rd year Charms and Defence book he had taken out of the library as well as a notation that told him he would be provided with the newest year's copy every summer. From Neville, he received what looked like a dream-catcher, except that it was decorated with miniature designs of magical creatures, a bolt of lightning crossing the centre of the catcher as if to symbolise who it belonged to.

Neville's letter explained everything:

_Harry,_

_Hope you find a use for this: Gran found out that you had been harmed at home and felt you would benefit from this: it's known in the Muggle world as a dream-catcher, except this one is charmed to allow a person to block out any unnecessary images that their dreams may show._

_Sounds perfect for someone who would suffer from nightmares about times they'd rather forget; if you speak the words _Dormis Musica_ the catcher also plays a soothing tune that helps with meditations and difficult sleepers._

_(Maybe we can give this to the red guinea pig)_

_See you soon I hope_

_Neville_

Harry could only laugh at the thought of Ron finally sleeping without sounding like a human thunderstorm; it was certainly going to come in handy anyway; Harry's other gifts were slightly more random: the first of which actually made him suspicious as he found it to be from the aforementioned red guinea pig.

Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out - a letter and a newspaper clipping; the clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. Harry picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, and read:

_MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE  
>Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw.<br>A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."  
>The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.<em>

Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face as he saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at him, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

On one hand, Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor; yet, there was still the matter of what Ron had said and done in the previous term: a part of him didn't want to bother with the rest of the letter, however, out of respect for his three _real_ Weasley friends – Ginny, Fred and George – he picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it.

_Dear Harry, _

_Happy birthday! _

_Look, I'm really sorry about __what I said and did to you and Hermione, but seriously mate; what possessed you to have her when you could have any…_

Harry quickly read the next paragraph as his magic was spiking, making cups and plates shatter, Hermione recognising the warning signs as she mouthed words to her parents, _Don't touch him._

_It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.  
>I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.<em>

Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds. Though, on a personal note, Harry felt a bit humiliated by the fact that the Weasleys spend money on a holiday when they buy second-hand stuff for their children and for Hogwarts: Harry decided he would need to change that and, if Ginny denied him, then he would simply remind her that she owed him her life, without – he hoped – sounding too _Malfoy_ about it.

_We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?  
>Don't let the Muggles get you down!<br>Try and come to London,  
>Ron<br>P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week._

Harry glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

_Harry - this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.  
>Bye <em>_– Ron_

'More like he didn't realise that his youngest brother was such an arrogant asshole,' thought Harry, the shakes around him calming down as he looked to Hermione, Dan and Emma, all of whom were watching him worriedly.

"Sorry about that," he told them, "It's just that, on the subject of arrogant pricks, they don't get any more oblivious than Dead Man Walking Weasley."

Hermione was now reading the letter and, for the first time that summer, she found herself accepting the part of Harry that was determined to protect her, "How dare he ask how you can pick me over any of the hotter girls? Why I ought to…I ought to…"

"Sic Padfoot on him?" asked Harry, now looking down to his loyal pet; however, when he showed Padfoot the photo, Harry heard a deep-throated growl from the dog and, before he could say anything more, the shaggy dog had tore the picture of Ron off with his teeth. Surprisingly, Harry shrugged and remarked, "I agree boy; he's not worth a second chance no matter what he says or does. I'm not going to let him spoil my special day: onto the next one."

The next one was from Hermione: It was very heavy. Originally knowing Hermione, he would have been sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells - but it wasn't, which only showed how much his girlfriend had changed with him at her side. His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.

"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside. There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.

"This must have cost a fair amount," Harry remarked, before setting the kit aside and kissing Hermione once more.

"Well," Hermione answered, "Mum and Dad changed some Muggle money into Galleons for me and said you deserved it."

"I agree with that," Harry laughed, "But don't forget Mione that I won't be playing Quidditch anymore."

"I know," she answered, "But you never know what you'll get up to with that broom: two words Potter – magical keys."

'She's got a point there,' thought Harry, before he turned and hugged both Dan and Emma: this was his best birthday yet and, with Hagrid even sending him a gift that said would come in handy next year, Harry felt it could only get better. When he discovered that Hagrid's present was a book that came alive, Harry originally went to snap it shut before something both amazing and, in the eyes of Dan and Emma, impossible happened.

Padfoot, sensing danger to his pup, leapt on top of the book and, as Harry watched, he actually nuzzled the spine, stroking _it_ with his head; the book gave a single shudder before it fell open, calm and quiet.

"Amazing," Harry remarked, petting Padfoot as he added the book to his other gifts, a part of him wanting to tell the Weasleys where they could stick the Sneakoscope; however, he wasn't sure about the others yet and so, for arguments sake, placed it in the centre of the table, where it would remain for the rest of the summer.

"Oh," Dan then added as Harry went to get ready for his trip to Gringotts, "I meant to ask Harry: how do you feel about France?"

Harry didn't need to answer as he knew the reason for the question: Harry Potter, for the first time in his life, was going away on holiday…

_**HPHG**_

That afternoon, while Dobby was helping Emma prepare a special birthday party for the soon-to-be Lord in their lives, Harry, Dan and Hermione were walking along the familiar cobbled street of Diagon Alley, Harry now decked out in a brand-new set of black robes with a strong golden edge and two bolts of lightning that crossed one another, a white phoenix hovering over the lightning bolts.

Harry had designed the crest himself as a means to remind him that he was always reaching new heights and that, even with a deforming scar on his forehead, he would always be the light of Hermione's life.

Little did he realise that his scar, and the crest on his robe, meant more than he originally believed…

Arriving in Gringotts, Harry made his way forwards, his posture tall and proud as he addressed the goblin before them, "Good afternoon Master Goblin: I pray that your days prove profitable and your gold flows always."

Looking up, the goblin gave a gasp as he replied, "The same to you Sire Potter: how may Gringotts be of service today?"

"I wish to speak to my family's financial manager regarding the acceptance of my Lordship," Harry replied, watching as the goblin before them left and was replaced by a familiar figure, "Greetings Master Griphook," Harry added.

"Sire Potter," Griphook replied, "I was not made aware of your visit today, but I am under orders from my Lord Ragnok to show you to his office immediately."

"Oh," Harry nodded, "Very good; well then, lead the way Griphook."

Griphook obeyed Harry's request by leading him, Dan and Hermione down through a stone corridor towards a large set of wrought-iron doors decorated in several crystals and lined with runes that Harry guessed were for protection and alert to visitors. Once they were stood outside, Griphook placed his hand on the door and spoke in what Harry guessed to be goblin-tongue, before the door opened and, with a bow, Griphook addressed Harry. "I can go no further Sire Potter: I pray your fortunes are eternal."

"And may your honour be known to all Griphook," Harry replied, before walking into what could only be described as a cross between a war-room and a meeting chamber.

The walls of the room were made from the toughest, most resistant stone that Harry had ever seen and were decorated in many different tapestries and murals depicting famous battles. There were also weapons stored in magically-refined cases and suits of armour covering mannequins that seemed to radiate the same sense of magic. In the centre of the room was a table that made Harry think of the legend of King Arthur: it was a large round table that bore many different runes and was covered by a near-transparent silvery cloth. At the head of this table there was a rather well-built goblin dressed in chain mail and armour-plating that looked like it would be made from dragon-scales. In one of the goblin's hands was a rather intimidating war-hammer that rested its shaft against the floor.

Seeing Harry standing there, the goblin pressed a hand to his chest and bowed; Harry, not wanting to dishonour the goblins, repeated the gesture before he spoke freely, "Lord Ragnok, Master of Goblins and sole Lord of Treasures, I, Sire Harry James Potter am honoured to meet and converse with you sir."

"I thank you Sire Potter," Ragnok answered, his voice almost deep and guttural, as if someone had taken Hagrid's voice and dropped it a few octaves. "Please Sire, you do not bow to me, for I have waited a very long while to meet with you."

"Thank you my Lord," replied Harry, slightly stunned by Ragnok's words, "However, if we are to be equals in this, may I suggest you address me as Harry, my Lord?"

"Then allow me to extend the same formalities to Chief Granger, the Lady Hermione and your good self Lord Potter," Ragnok countered, smiling as he seemed to relax now that the tension had been relieved.

Taking three of the seats near to Ragnok, Hermione closest to him as he sat on the leader's left-hand side, Harry didn't waste time as he spoke up, "I don't wish to keep you waiting long Ragnok, so I'm going to come out and say it: I wish access to the Potter Family Codex, to claim my legacy as is my right as Sire Potter and to know of any additional heritages or legacies I am to inherit." He was thankful for Neville giving him the hint about the Codex and, given that he had come of age, he felt he should receive it along with his lordship.

"As you wish," Ragnok answered, before he handed Harry a small square box; opening the box, Harry found a solid gold ring with a griffin in its head that was made from solid platinum, the eyes of the griffin the exact same colour as Harry's emerald eyes. It was only when he looked closer that Harry realised that the eyes were _real_ emeralds; looking to Ragnok, Harry was then surprised to see the goblin leader extending his hand, "If I may Harry?"

"Of…course," Harry replied, holding out his hand.

Ragnok took Harry's hand in his own, before he slid the ring onto Harry's finger, a powerful crimson and green glow enveloping Harry's body; at the same time, the young Lord heard Dan gasp. Looking up, Harry then saw that Hermione was glowing with a similar manner, a ring appearing on her finger: this ring bore a phoenix made from the same platinum as Harry's griffin, the eyes of the phoenix made from diamonds.

"Astonishing," Ragnok commented in awe, "My Lord Potter, it would appear that you are the one true Lord and Head of House Potter, but also the Heir and Head of Godric Gryffindor's bloodline."

As Harry was about to respond, he then felt a strong weight against his left shoulder; reaching his hand back, Harry gasped with shock himself as he felt a familiar golden hilt in his hand, an even more familiar sense of warmth and comfort flowing through him. Deciding it was better to make sure, Harry withdrew the hilt and, lifting it high, examined what he suspected it was. Sure enough, the familiar, though now _cleaned_ Sword of Gryffindor was in his hand and, as Harry held it there, he felt a great weight lifting from his magic and his body, which caused his eyes to water.

Bright, silvery tears fell from Harry's eyes as he held the sword, his legacy finally known; however, that was nothing compared to what happened next: Ragnok, seeing the tears, quickly summoned a goblet and caught the tears in the cup, his eyes wide as he gasped, "By all the Gods: I was right."

"Ragnok," Harry spoke up, "What happened and what were you right about?"

"Forgive me Lord Potter," Ragnok answered, "But it would seem that your destiny has unfolded and now you have gained the mantle of your true legacy."

"Which is what?" asked Harry.

"As a Holy Knight," answered Ragnok, "The Holy Knight of Thunder!"

Harry, Hermione and Dan were silent with shock while, above the Gringotts building, a powerful bolt of white lightning filled the skies, illuminating two very familiar hooded figures watching from Knockturn Alley.

"Our champion has been found brother," Storm Lord exclaimed, "Now he must be told."

"True brother," Ocean Lord remarked, "And with his Lady at his side, he will be able to combat the other troubles of this world and finally accomplish his divine destiny."

"However," Storm Lord added, a pair of strong silvery eyes glowing from under his hood, "I sense something I did not see before."

"What?" asked Ocean Lord.

Storm Lord's voice was as creepy and mystical as ever as he answered, "I sense…another…"

_**HPHG**_

Back in Gringotts, Harry could only ask one question, "What did you say?"

"Only the truth," Ragnok answered, "Though perhaps I should explain how I know."

"Yes," Harry replied, "How do you know Ragnok and what is a Holy Knight?"

"I know because of these," Ragnok answered, holding the goblet out to Harry; looking inside, Harry saw, for the first time, his silvery tears gathered in the base of the goblet, their light shining seemingly forever as they drifted around the base.

"So?" asked Harry, slightly sceptical about what he had been told. "Obviously I have some kind of backlash from Fawkes the Phoenix healing me: phoenix tears can come in handy."

"These are not Phoenix tears my Lord," Ragnok explained, now placing the goblet on the desk, "They are tears, but they are tears of your true self, harnessed with pure magic and endowed with the strength of the storm, hence your mantle: Holy Knight of Thunder."

"And," Harry remarked, "Who or what is a Holy Knight?"

"I will explain," Ragnok answered, "You see my Lord; there was once a time when magic was neither good nor evil, but simply known as magic; some called it gifts, others abilities and some called it power. Then, in a time of what you would call the Triad…"

"The who?" asked Harry.

"Merlin, Morgana and Mordred," Hermione answered, before she gestured to Ragnok, "I apologise Ragnok: please continue."

"Thank you Lady Hermione," Ragnok nodded, "Anyway, as I was saying: in the time of the Triad, the legendary King Arthur Pendragon made an offer with the forces known to most cultures as Gods."

"What are they really called?" asked Harry.

"Lords of Nature," Ragnok answered, "They spoke with Arthur before his death and, to save the magic within the Triad, the Lords of Nature created the powers you know as elementals: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Thunder, Light and Shadows. Then, on the eve of Arthur's death, the Lords of Nature infused a certain sword with their powers so that, on the day that the Lords' powers were needed, their Knights, the Holy Knights as they were called, could be called upon. Over the centuries, Knights have risen and fallen and now, with your tears, my Lord Potter, it is clear to me that you are the last of them, or you could have been had it not been for the Lady Hermione."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, "I'm no Knight."

"Not yet," Ragnok agreed, "Or at least until Lord Potter agrees to choose you as his one and only, which is why you bear his ring. You, Lady Hermione, are the descendant of the Holy Knight of Water, or Ocean as was his true rank and, pretty soon, both of you shall meet the Lords of Nature and train with them to fulfil the destiny that has befallen the Knights: to reunite magic under what is simply known as the Balance."

"So," Harry repeated, "As a Holy Knight, does that do anything for my station?"

"It does," Ragnok answered, "As the last of the true Holy Knights, you, Lord Potter, are now considered a Regent to the lands owned by King Arthur, which we at Gringotts kept within two vaults: 1366 and 1712, both of which hold the treasures of the Holy Knights as well as the rights to the land known as Camelot, which is now a whole other realm portrayed by the powers of the Lords of Nature. When you meet them Lord Potter, you shall be given the rights to access that land; until then, you must grow into your power and choose whether or not to knight Lady Hermione as the Holy Knight of Ocean."

"And the sword you mentioned," Harry commented, "Is that…"

"The very sword you now hold my Lord," Ragnok answered, "Godric Gryffindor was known as the Holy Knight of Fire, which is why the sign of Gryffindor as an element is Fire and, as such, his sword has remained with your family through the generations."

"I see," Harry nodded, before he rose from his seat and, walking over to Hermione, kneeled before her and handed her Godric's Sword, alias the Holy Sword Excalibur, his eyes on her as he spoke, "Hermione, I love you with all my heart and would choose no other ever again as my girlfriend; now, with our destiny in motion I ask you: will you become my Lady and stand at my side? Will you take this sword and help me unite the magic once more? Will you let me name you Lady Hermione Jane Potter, Holy Knight of Ocean?"

Hermione looked from her kneeled boyfriend to her Father; however, when she saw that Dan was smiling proudly, a nod of his head confirmed her suspicions; reaching out, she linked her hands with Harry and replied to him, "Harry Potter, Lord of Gryffindor and Holy Knight of Thunder, I say yes to your proposal: I would be honoured to be your Lady and your ally in our destiny."

"Then," Harry exclaimed, "On the Holy Sword Excalibur do I decree that I shall never love, cherish or even consider bedding another as long as I have my Lady, Hermione Granger, at my side: as Holy Knight of Thunder, I swear it!"

A powerful rumble of thunder crashed all around them, making both Harry and Hermione lock eyes with one another as if drawn to the other's heart before, with a swift movement of his hand, Harry sheathed Excalibur and leapt into Hermione's arms, his magic somehow drawing him to her as they kissed, a powerful silvery glow now mixing with a deep oceanic blue sheen as it enveloped their bodies. As he looked at his new Lady, Harry's eyes shone with so much force that it was like there was an actual storm going on amongst the emerald; at the same time, Hermione's brown-eyed colour seemed to swirl around until it became as bright and filled with as much power as Harry's.

As the glow ceased around them, Harry kissed Hermione once more and, looking to Dan, he gave a smile as he asked, "So, what do you say about this Dan?"

"There's nothing to say Harry," Dan replied, "Except…damn, I'm glad you're on my side!"

Dan, Harry and Hermione were laughing all the way back to the Granger's house, but not before Harry had been given the Codex by Ragnok as well as an assurance that he would look into any other ways this new mantle of Harry's could affect their lives. At the moment, Harry had the right to speak as the Knight he was: as Holy Knight, his authority was that of five Lords and his voice was one that could ask for what it wished without fear of being turned away.

When Harry was then asked for a vassal to name as his subordinate and contact, Harry decided to repay a debt of thanks as he answered, "Amelia Bones."

He only hoped that she wouldn't mind being the subordinate to the new Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Potter;

The Holy Knight of Thunder…

_**Chapter 4 and Harry's destiny is revealed, but what surprises await the last of the true Holy Knights as his power grows?**_

_**Also, who is the 'other' that the Storm Lord senses and who's side is he on?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out…**_

_**In the next chapter: Holidaying in France reveals the new abilities of the Knight of Thunder and Knight of Ocean; plus, in an attempt to defend Hermione from harm, Harry ends up with something he didn't plan on and Amelia tells Harry how she feels about all this; and, to top it all off, Harry and Hermione decide to release their inner elements with help from a supposedly forbidden ritual…**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, please check out the poll in my profile for what will soon be my newest Harry/Hermione story;**_


	5. Honour, Loyalty, Truth, Unity

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**3:**_

_**Goldencoyote: I won't reveal the next Knight except to say that it is someone who doesn't get enough screen time in canon;**_

_**Redwoodx: Hermione is a Knight of Ocean and her magic is explained in this chapter; the financial side of Harry's heritage won't be revealed until he meets the Lords of Nature; Dumbledore – being Dumbledore – will try to interfere pretty soon; the Dursleys are still alive, but they won't get away with how they treated Harry;**_

_**Zamia: Neville's role in this will be explained in third year and Dumbledore's reasoning for not noticing Harry's absence in Durzkaban will be explained in the first chapter of third year;**_

_**TriniRandy86: It's not Neville;**_

_**BonniaFelton: Its not Draco;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: Interesting twist on things; maybe I'll do something about Tommy boy when Harry 'willingly offers his blood' (REMEMBER THE CHALLENGE RULE) but the other that they sense is neither Neville or Tom;**_

_**StormyFireDragon: I've read Angels of Power and am glad you think it's similar to such an awesome fic as that one; all your stories are brilliant and I'm glad you think the same of mine;**_

_**Cateagle: she does have mixed feelings that are explained in this chapter;**_

_**Athenakitty: Harry is going to be told that Sirius is his godfather, but Padfoot is trying to stay in the dark for now;**_

_**Harryhermionealways: It was simply an oath that he would choose no other, which gave Hermione her Knight of Ocean status;**_

Chapter 5: Honour, Loyalty, Truth and Unity

Returning to the Grangers' home was like a new day for Harry: now that he knew the truth behind his mysterious heritage and the fact that he was more than a Lord, but a rank of Holy Knight, the young wizard actually began to wonder how and why nobody could have suspected this beforehand and why he, as the aforementioned Knight, was never told the truth about his family.

At his side, her hand in his, her ring shining in the afternoon light, Hermione was almost sharing the same thoughts as her boyfriend, her own mind now driven by an urge to research and find out as much as she could about the Holy Knights, particularly her role as the Holy Knight of Ocean. What she did know was that, despite being recognised as one of the Knights, her authority was lesser to that of Harry's as she was what the legacy called an Anointed One while Harry was a Pure Knight, a son and descendant of the lineage of the Holy Knights.

She and Harry, with some help from the Potter Codex, also learned that their titles were more than titles: aside from the authority and ownership of the Holy Sword, Harry would also be able to command the storm elements as well as the power of lightning and the power of each known type of storm: firestorms, hailstorms, rainstorms, tsunamis, typhoons, thunderstorms and even the power of the tornado, which, in hindsight, gave him control over each of the four lesser elements of earth, wind, fire and water.

Hermione, on the other hand, would have full control over water and the creatures within it; she would also be able to call on the power of ice, steam and vapour to coalesce into water. It was also revealed that she had now inherited the skill to survive underwater without the need for gills or any water-based spells and, when combined with Harry's power, could call on the force of the maelstrom and create waves of water from the moisture around them.

Both Knights also discovered that the jewels used in their rings were a clear sign of their true affinity: Hermione's diamond meant that she would be strong of heart and true of knowledge while Harry's emerald, being the same colour as his eyes, meant that he would bear the power and that his magic would be as strong and protective as was his streak for Hermione.

'If knowledge is power,' thought Harry as they turned into the drive outside the Grangers' home, 'Then it's no surprise that Hermione and I fit together so well. She is the Knight of Knowledge and I am the Knight of Power; together, we fit so well that we may as well be two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle: she is mine and I am hers: knowledge is power and power is knowledge and…would you look at me, I'm rambling in thought.' He then chuckled to himself as he climbed out of the car, 'Merlin help me, I'm starting to sound like Hermione.'

Opening the front door, Harry found both he and Hermione the recipients of a welcome-back tongue bath as Padfoot leapt upon them, pleased to see the return of his owners while, within the beast, the second side to Padfoot could sense that his pup was so much stronger and could now have his own life.

Once Padfoot was removed from their chests, Harry and Hermione could only laugh as the young Lord helped his girlfriend to her feet, before he turned and called out, "Emma, we're home."

"In the kitchen Harry," came the reply, Harry sighing to himself as he realised Emma must be trying to hide the earlier-planned party – what gave it away was the flash of red from the doorway indicating the presence of the Weasleys.

Moving into the kitchen, Harry had barely pushed the door open before a large amount of voices called out, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!"

With a smile, and amidst some indoor magical poppers that sprayed the young couple with streamers and confetti, Harry looked around the room: sure enough, the first people he noticed were the Weasleys, the youngest son looking like he was more concerned with the Muggle party food than the birthday boy. Next to Mr Weasley was none other than Amelia Bones, who simply smiled and inclined her head to Harry, before she shrugged her shoulders, revealing the Potter Family Crest on her left shoulder, the phoenix and lightning bolt crest that Harry had designed obviously now designated as his official crest.

Realising he would have to speak to Amelia in person, Harry nodded politely and continued examining the room, noticing Neville and Luna standing almost side-by-side, a tall, rather lovely elderly woman at Neville's side while Luna was escorted by a blonde-haired man dressed in a robe that seemed to resemble a coat Harry had read about in the Religious Section of his junior school. The coat was made of every colour imaginable and, as Harry looked to him, the man gave Harry a polite bow and clenched his daughter's shoulder, a warm, mystifying smile on the man's face.

Dan and Emma were also standing there as was – to Harry and Hermione's surprise – Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, both of them looking happy to see the young Lord looking so healthy. With a calm smile of his own, Harry inclined his head to them and spoke up, "Thanks everyone: I have to admit that, when Emma suggested a party, I never expected this kind of company: I'm grateful to everyone for being here, but, Mr Weasley sir, what about your Egyptian Holiday?"

"It was my idea to come here today Lord Potter," replied Arthur, using Harry's honorific as he inclined his head in a polite bow, "To settle the unrest between our families and tell you that I am happy for you. Miss Hermione is a lucky lady and, while I cannot forgive my own son for his actions against you at the end of term, I wish you to know that you may ask anything you wish of me as compensation for this misdemeanour."

"Can he do that?" asked Harry, looking to Amelia, "It makes the Weasleys sound like my slaves."

"The Weasley Family owe you the life of their youngest child Lord Potter," Amelia replied, speaking with true formality as she looked to Harry, "Not to mention the life of their youngest son in protecting him from a nest of fully grown Acromantulas. At this current moment, you could claim them as your servants and magical law would be on your side."

"I see," Harry replied, looking to the family he had thought as his friends, his eyes showing his troubled emotions. "Well," he decided, looking back to Mr Weasley, "I cannot accept any form of compensation as the actions performed by your son were merely the act of a jealous young man who would rather insult my girlfriend than call her a true friend. As I said in the office at the end of term, the actions performed against the guilty party were not necessary, but they were fun and I feel no sense of sorrow nor ask for any redemption price from the Family. As is common knowledge, my mother spent her years being called such names and managed to find her true love, so I will not allow another female member of my House to be treated like she is nothing more than trash. To do so will put you in the worst kind of situation imaginable and, given my newfound lineage as well as my birthright, if I wanted, I could order the guilty party disinherited and there would be no other choice than to oblige."

"And besides," added Ginny, now stepping forwards and standing with her friends, "Harry saved my life and he sees me as the sister he never had: to me, that marks myself as a member of House Potter even without taking the name. How can we judge someone who chooses that side of life and offers that kind of life to someone who owes him their life? And how can someone like that be called a dark wizard when he has a pure heart and the means to do what Harry has done?"

"We can't," the twins chorused, now standing with Harry and Hermione as they too looked to their parents and Ron, Harry noticing that new Head Boy Percy was having nothing to do with this little debate: instead, he seemed more focused on the shine of his new badge than the care and comfort of his family.

Realising what was happening here, Mr Weasley sighed and stepped forwards, his hand out to Harry as he explained, "Then, Lord Potter, if you cannot accept compensation then I, Lord Arthur Weasley, Head of Clan Weasley ask that you allow me to act as your vassal House and surrogate family member."

"What will this do?" asked Harry, looking to Amelia once more.

"Basically," Amelia explained, "The Weasleys will be under the protections of House Potter and its Lord as well as possessing the right to speak as a member of the House and be given a sum of money from the Lord as means of keeping their protections and situations."

"So?" asked Ron, actually removing the piece of cake from his mouth that he had managed to acquire, "If Dad shakes Harry's hand then we can finally get some money?"

"That's the heads and tails of it," Harry answered, before he scoffed and added, "Nice to see where your priorities lay Ronald." He then looked back at Mr Weasley, the offered hand still in front of him as he waited for an answer. Looking to the twins and Ginny, Harry asked, "What do you think?"

"You're like an honorary brother anyway to us Harry," Fred explained, clasping the Lord's left shoulder.

"And our one true ally in Gryffindor," added George, taking Harry's right shoulder.

"Not to mention that I do owe you my life," Ginny pointed out, gently taking Harry's arm as she waited for the response, "To become protected by you would mean that you could think of me as your sister if you wanted."

"If I do this," Harry finally decided, looking to his three friends before he looked back at Mr Weasley, "Then I want it known Lord Weasley that all decisions as my vassal house are made by you and that you also address me by my given name of Harry and not as Lord. Second," he added, looking to Ron, "If I do this, then I want your son to apologise to my girlfriend right now for everything he's put her through, including insulting her, which drove her to the bathroom where we met our smelly friend Mr Troll."

"What?" Dan asked, a slight growl in his voice as he looked to Ron, "You mean you're the reason that my daughter was nearly killed had it not been for Harry and your antics?"

"Yeah," Ron scoffed, "So what?"

"Oh Ronald," Harry answered, "So…everything: and third," he then added, looking to Lord Weasley, "All finances given to the family are to be spent on furthering the children's magical repertoire and restoring the Weasley name to the proud purebloods that you are: do you, Arthur Weasley, accept these terms?"

"I do Harry," Arthur replied.

Harry looked to Amelia, "Does my Family Vassal accept the terms and allowances made for the Weasleys?"

"I do," Amelia replied, her eyes telling Harry that she still wished to speak to him about that.

"Dan," Harry added, "Emma: do you feel okay about this?"

"Yes Harry," Emma smiled, looking to the circle of friends/followers that had gathered around the young Lord.

"Then," Harry nodded, taking the hand offered by Mr Weasley, "I accept the vassal offer from Clan Weasley: welcome to the Family. I, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, accept the fealty and vassal-hood of House Weasley, asking only its loyalty and its kinship as well as securing the aforementioned terms."

A powerful golden glow left Harry's body and began to encircle Mr Weasley, the glow taking the shape of the phoenix crest, which branded itself onto the left shoulder of Arthur's robe, though slightly lower than where it appeared on Amelia's. Releasing the man's hand, Harry then looked to Ron before he asked, "So, when am I going to get that apology?"

Ron's eyes darkened as Harry stood there, the arms of his friends now released from his body: when he looked to Fred and George, Ron then saw that the same crest that had now adorned his Father's shoulder was now in the middle of the forearm on both twins. Ginny's Crest, much to her own surprise, was placed on both her left and right shoulder.

Ron, however, bore no crest, which signified that Harry's magic had not yet accepted the red-haired idiot as a member of his House until the apology was given.

As always, the git used his mouth before his brains, "I don't see your crest on me Potter, so I won't apologise to you or your little whore: both of you are just…"

Whatever they were was never discovered as Ron suddenly vanished in a bolt of lightning, Harry's eyes glowing madly, his magic obviously ridding the Lord of the young problem in his life.

"Where's my son?" asked Molly, her own robe branded with Harry's mark, "What have you done to him?"

"I sent him away," Harry explained, thankful he had read his rights as Lord from the Codex, "As Lord Potter, I consider Ronald Weasley as an exile to the vassals of House Weasley: he is not to be given any amount of protective funding nor is he to be registered as a member of my family until he apologises and swears an oath to the soon-to-be Lady Potter that he shall never harm or insult her again."

His Crest seemed to glow with silver light – the phoenix now upon his right shoulder, trimmed in gold itself – before Arthur felt the protections from House Potter lifting slightly, showing that one of his House was _not_ considered part of his Lord's protective circle.

"Now," Harry sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "If we have no more problems, can we _please_ get on with celebrating the real event of today?"

There were no arguments from the guests…

_**HPHG**_

While everyone was enjoying the party, Harry walked into the lounge of the Grangers' home and, pulling out the Codex, opened the book to the section on his vassals, hoping to find some explanation for the crests being where they were: according to the Codex, the Weasley twins had some kind of inventive streak that the House magic deemed worthy to aid House Potter while Ginny, having not only owed Harry her life, but also being a warrior against the dark, was instantly recognised as a warrior and vassal class to both House Potter and House Weasley.

It was then, as he looked down the information, seeing things such as Duelling Experience and Beast Mastery that Harry came upon a name he had only seen once before, when they met said wizard in person: Charlie Weasley and, next to his name was written one simple rank:

_Dragon-Master_

Knowing the elder Weasley's experience with the creatures, Harry wondered if he could possibly ask Charlie to see about any dragons he could bind to House Potter for Hermione's protections and to act as a familiar to the Holy Knights of Thunder and Ocean. Needless to say that, when he had mentioned his title, there had been several looks of shock from Arthur and the other Weasleys, but when the magic had bound them, Harry had known they were trustworthy.

Continuing down the list, Harry was surprised when he also saw Bill Weasley's name printed there, the words 'Financial Advisor' and 'Goblin Liaison' written in gold next to the eldest child's name, as if a true familial role had been given to the man. Making a decision to contact Ragnok and speak about ways this could benefit both he and Hermione, Harry turned the pages of his Codex, looking for the information on his new status as Holy Knight of Thunder, a part of him wanting to know how he had summoned that lightning bolt to transport Ronald Weasley away from the party.

"Lord Potter?"

Looking up from his seat, Harry was surprised to see Amelia stood there, a plate of food in her hand as she bowed her head to him, before handing him the plate, "You need to keep your strength up my Lord."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry smiled, "And please, call me Harry: now, I'm guessing you're really here to talk about the role of Family Vassal that you have been given by my family's magic, am I right?"

"Yes," sighed the elder witch, taking a seat near to Harry as she asked, "What made you choose me?"

"Your gift for one," Harry explained, "You gave Hermione and I the right to use our wands outside of Hogwarts and so I felt that was worthy of a reward of some kind; second, for what you did to protect me from the Dursleys: how's that going?"

"We have a full team investigating your parents' wills and the reasons that your pain was ignored for so long," Amelia replied, before she linked her hands and lowered her head as she added, "Of course, as Vassal to Lord Potter, and with your permission, I can actually witness the official will of your parents myself."

"Then do so," Harry told her, "See to it that you and you alone are the one to witness it: then, have Ragnok make a copy and send it to me. Have the original sealed in the Potter Vaults until I wish to reveal it to the world. Now, getting back to my point, I named you my Vassal because I wished to thank you and, given what you have done for me, you seem like a trustworthy person and that is someone I wish to be in charge of my affairs while I am at Hogwarts. If you wish, Amelia, I can have someone act as your assistant: perhaps Dan or Emma would be honoured or I could assign a House Elf to you; all you have to do is ask."

"Thank you Harry," Amelia smiled, "And thank you for placing your trust in me: I must say that when I received the notice saying I was now a close, personal member of Harry Potter's family, I was a little awed, but now I see your reasoning. I am honoured to be your Vassal and need no assistant if my Lord would allow me one request."

"Name it," Harry smiled, his eyes shining with energy.

"There is a young Auror who works rather closely with me and, someday, I wish to be my successor in the DMLE: would my Lord allow me to name her as my assistant and ask her to pledge fealty to House Potter?"

"I would," Harry nodded, "And Amelia, please: no matter what you ask, always use my name: you at least have that right. Now, as my Vassal, I do have one task for you that I would like the results by August 31st."

"Of course Harry," Amelia nodded, "What is it?"

"Severus Snape," Harry explained, "I was once informed that my Father saved his life: I want him investigated and then, once you have the full details, I want you to see to it that he either swears to repay his debt to me _personally_ otherwise, I want him arrested for biased teaching, threatening behaviour and disgracing the late Lord of an Ancient House."

"I will look into it straight away," Amelia replied, standing and leaving the room, giving Harry a chance to read through his Codex as he continued his search for the information he needed.

What he found was something that not only explained what had happened, but was also something that Harry knew he would need to try with Hermione; if it all went to plan, this information would allow the two of them to release the full power of their elementals; all Harry needed was Hermione's permission and enough faith in his own magical ability…

_**HPHG**_

When the party eventually came to a close, Harry thanked them all for thief gifts, a part of him noticing that Neville seemed almost uncomfortable with some unknown twist of fate as he left, before, with a little help from his magic, Harry cleared away the mess, had a warm mug of hot chocolate to help him sleep and, moving up to his room, slumped down on his bed, his eyes open as he stared at the ceiling.

Moments later, Hermione walked in, her own eyes looking brighter than ever as she curled up next to Harry, her warm touch feeling as gentle as the waves washing on the shore. In one day, the world had changed for both of them and now, with but one move, Harry's whole life had been turned on its head: this time last year, he was a weak, frightened child and now, twelve months later, he was a tall, powerful Lord who was also the last of the Pure Knights and Lord of a vassal House that seemed almost proud to stand at his side.

Taking his hand in hers, Hermione asked, "What is it you wanted to talk about Harry?"

"I was reading the Codex," explained the Knight of Thunder, "And I found a ritual that would help us release our magic; however, we have two problems."

"What?" asked Hermione, moving her head up to her boyfriend's heart, listening to its almost rhythmic lullaby thumping as she listened to him.

"First," Harry explained, "We'd need 24 hours rest afterwards and, with us going on holiday next week, I don't want to spoil or rush anything we're not ready for; so we can either wait until we go away and use one night then or we wait until the last week of summer and perform the ritual then."

"I see," Hermione sighed, "And the second problem?"

"According to the Codex," Harry replied, "It's classed as a Level 4 Ritual, which makes it borderline forbidden and dangerous to both caster and target: if you feel scared, Hermione, then tell me and I won't attempt it, but, if it works, it will create a bond between us that will link our minds, our magic and our elements. It will also release any attempted blocks on our magic and give us full control over magic both with and without a wand, but, to do it, we'd have to do it at night as we need a few hours for it to take effect."

"So are you saying that you want the easy way out rather than learning all about our power?" asked Hermione, looking into Harry's emerald eyes with a look of worry and suspicion, "I thought you had taken care of that side of you."

"I did love," Harry answered her, gently kissing her forehead as he explained, "This is anything but the easy way out Mione: when we cast the ritual, it will simply allow us an easier grasp over the magic rather than struggling with it and ending up exhausting ourselves. Plus, as Holy Knight of Thunder, I did learn that it will take a great amount of energy to command and control the force of the storm: this ritual will give me that energy just like Madam Pomfrey's treatments and your parents' caring hearts have given me back the true, physical appearance of the handsome young Lord that you call your boyfriend."

"Oh," Hermione replied, feeling slightly embarrassed at how she had questioned her boyfriend: it was common knowledge that to use a spell to its fullest potential, one had to have the will and energy necessary to pull it off. While witches and wizards made spell-casting look easy, it was in fact draining, particularly those that called for a more focused time slot of use, such as the Spider Swarm Jinx used by Harry at the end of term. If he had tried to cast it now, then he would find no real trouble, save for reaching the allotted thirty minute mark.

Looking back to Harry, who seemed almost as worried as her about this ritual, Hermione continued, "Well, I don't really have any problems with you releasing your magic Harry and, if it helps to strengthen our bond as well as our status as Holy Knights, then I say that we go for it. However, would you let me choose when we perform it love?"

"Of course I will Mione," Harry replied, kissing Hermione softly as he added, "I wouldn't force you into anything that you do not feel ready for; now though, love, close your eyes and sleep, knowing that I will always remain at your side."

"We'll need a good-night's sleep," Hermione agreed, "Next week we go away on holiday."

"That reminds me," Harry whispered, closing his own eyes as he felt his girlfriend shuffle closer into his embrace, "There's one more task that I need to accomplish."

_**HPHG**_

As was the custom for the summer holiday, the roads leading out of the country and into the Channel Tunnel were heavily packed, as were those taking the ferry. When the Grangers' car reached the customs barrier, Harry seemed distracted by the fact that there was one extra queue that nobody seemed to notice; placing his hand on Dan's shoulder, he whispered, "Guess who can use that aisle?"

"Magic users," Dan replied, thankful for Harry's sharp eyes as well as his wizarding heritage: until Harry had placed his hand on Dan's shoulder, the Granger patriarch had not even noticed the extra aisle through customs. Redirecting his car towards the aisle, Harry reached into his pocket and withdrew his magical passport, which Ragnok had helped to provide along with another form of identification that, as a Holy Knight, would allow Harry the kind of authority where questions were best left avoided.

Stopping at the checkpoint, Dan handed their passports to the wizard, who looked through them, before he shook his head, "I do apologise Mr Granger, but it would appear that you are in the wrong queue sir."

"Oh really?" asked Harry, opening the car door and stepping out, the sight of his robes making the checkpoint attendant actually gasp in shock as he saw the golden trim of Harry's crest. "And would you be so kind as to tell me why you can't tell the difference between a Muggle and Magical passport sir."

"My apologies my lord," the wizard replied, "But unless you have a real reason for allowing this Muggle to escort you, then I suggest he goes with the other trash and…"

"Trash?" asked Harry, his emerald eyes almost flickering like a faulty light bulb as he asked, "How can you call the guardian and protector of a Lord trash?"

"But sir," the wizard replied, "Muggles are not…"

"I say he is," Harry replied, now pulling out a black wallet engraved with his new family crest and flicking it open, revealing a card that, like most wizarding pictures, moved to display Harry and the lightning bolt crest. "And as Lord Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder and Heir of Godric Gryffindor, I suggest that you apologise to my legal guardian and allow us to pass on through before I am forced to contact the Ministry and report you for daring to insult the family of a Holy Knight."

"Oh," gasped the wizard, now throwing himself to his knees, "My lord, I apologise profusely: I was not aware that you were in such high regard: of course I will allow you through."

"Thank you," Harry replied, placing his new identification back into his robes as he added, "Please inform the French Ministry of my arrival and tell them that I am travelling in Muggle company."

"Yes milord," the man replied, vanishing back into his office, leaving Harry to take his seat in the car, a part of his mind telling him that he would need to provide Dan and Emma with robes signifying them as members of his family so that idiots like this wizard were not foolish enough to insinuate that they were better than the Grangers.

Dan and Emma, meanwhile, were stunned into silence at how easy it had been for Harry to order that rude wizard around: Dan recalled what he had said in the bank about being glad that Harry was on their side while Emma, looking to Harry's reflection in the mirror, noticed that his emerald eyes were still glowing, his face twisted into a look of rage and disappointment.

"What's wrong Harry?" she asked, looking to the young lord that she was slowly seeing as the son she'd never had.

"Nothing Emma," Harry answered, noticing her gaze into his eyes. Resigning himself to enjoying the view of the docks out the window, Harry sighed as he explained, "I just hate having to resort to that level of intimidation on a person: I know that, as a Holy Knight, I have that right, but to these people, I am enough of a celebrity. I mean, it was like he didn't even recognise me anymore…" his lips then moved in near soundless words as he placed his head against the window of the Grangers' car.

"What was that?" asked Dan, watching as the dock security assisted their car onto the ferry, clearly having got the message that someone of Harry's authority was one of their guests.

With a sigh, Harry repeated, "I said…I hardly even recognise myself anymore."

_**HPHG**_

On the ferry, Harry and Hermione resigned themselves to watching the view of the English Channel pass them by, Hermione finding herself growing comfortable on the water while Harry looked upwards, as if trying to read the weather. As the English coastline then left them behind, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out his Holy Knight's identification, before he reached back into his pocket and pulled out a second wallet, this one holding a picture of Hermione and the trident of Poseidon, indicating her as the Holy Knight of Ocean. Slipping it into her hand, he whispered, "Never lose it love."

"I won't," Hermione replied, looking back at the young man that had his arms around her, the two of them acting like lovers so many years ahead of them as they enjoyed the mid-morning view of the English Channel, the sunlight causing the water to shine like crystal.

As they stared, Harry then felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling; reaching back with his hand, he gently stroked his neck before he turned, seeing an unusual sight before him. A group of five people were standing there, all of them watching Harry and Hermione with the look of respect and authority; when they saw Harry looking, the centre-most person bowed and approached, his hand pulling back his hood. Underneath was a man with white hair that would have put both Dumbledore and Malfoy to shame; his eyes were electric blue and he was dressed in a long white robe that seemed to flail about him in the wind, a strange crest upon his lapel. The crest looked like a dragon, but in its claws were a crown and a sword that, at closer examination, Harry noticed to be the Holy Sword.

Looking to the man's eyes, Harry once again saw the looks of respect being exchanged between he and this mysterious stranger, before, to his surprise, the man lowered himself to his knees, bowing like a Knight before a King, one arm behind his back while the other was crossed over his chest in a form of pure submission.

"My Honoured Lord," the man spoke up: he had what could be described as a bass rumble for a voice that seemed to be tinged with an Irish accent, "It is a great honour to be in the presence of the Holy Knight once more."

"Thank you," Harry replied, noticing that the four other figures were now bowing in a similar fashion, all of them baring the same white robe and suit along with the same crest: two of the four were women while two others were men, one looking at least five years older than Harry himself. All of them had the same white hair as their leader and, when Harry looked closer, he saw a streak of some kind among the white; one was red, one was blue, one was silver and one was green; the leader, Harry noticed, had a streak of gold that he had fashioned into some kind of rat-tail that hung down behind his head. Deciding it was better to find out the identities of these mysterious people, Harry asked the obvious, "Who are you?"

"My name is Sebastian McDale my lord," the leader replied, "With me are Elora Shaw, Tyler Kingston, Felicia Harrow and Dante McShane; we are known collectively as the Order of Pendragon and we are the warriors and servants of the Holy Knights. As the last Pure Knight, my Lord of Thunder, we are now your humble servants and ask a request of you, my lord."

"And what is that Sebastian?" asked Harry, looking to the leader of these knights who had somehow become his servants.

"You head for France for a vacation with your guardians, my lord," Sebastian explained, still kneeled before Harry, "We of the Order wish to escort you on your vacation as it has been our duty for many decade to guard and protect the Holy Knights. We have a villa already set up close to the capital and merely wish to act as your hosts as well as guides to the magical land that is within the French Community."

"I see," Harry replied, slightly shocked at these warriors; each of them, he supposed, were magic users of some kind and, from Sebastian's words, they were very loyal to their superiors. Then again, Harry had been offered a place on holiday by the Grangers and, as far as he was concerned, it would be almost wrong to dishonour their hospitality by telling them of this offer.

As if sensing her boyfriend's doubts, Hermione stepped up next to Harry and, looking to Sebastian, spoke up, "Begging your pardon there Mr McDale, but our holiday as already been decided by our family; while we would appreciate any help and assistance you can present, this is our holiday and we are already heading for our own rented villa."

"This is no problem with us, my Lady of Ocean," Sebastian replied, answering Hermione with the same formality as he had done to Harry, "If you wish to continue as per your arrangements, then we shall merely act as envoys and escorts before we leave our fate in your hands. We do not mean to disrupt the vacation of his Lordship and will understand if he wishes us to leave him to enjoy his time here."

"No," Harry suddenly spoke up, his eyes on Hermione as he saw what she had planned by her words, "You do not need to leave my side Sebastian: if it is your duty to guard, guide and protect me then, as Holy Knight of Thunder, I command you: you will join us on this holiday and help the Lady Hermione and I understand the strength and full fury of the powers at our command. Furthermore," he then added, taking Hermione's hand, "You do not need to bow to me nor call me anything but my name: if you are my protectors, then you are my allies. You kneel before me as warriors; now, my Order of Pendragon, I ask that you rise as my friends: I would be honoured to have you at my side."

"Yes milord," the five replied, rising on command, the four other warriors stepping up beside Sebastian, each of them seemingly pleased enough to be considered worthy of a friendship with their Lord and Lady.

Looking to Elora, who was the red-streaked warrior, Hermione then asked, "As Lady of Ocean, would you and Felicia accept places as my trainers and protectors while Dante and Tyler take the responsibility for Harry?"

The five warriors seemed almost surprised by their Lady's request, especially the young-looking Tyler, who bore the silver streak in his almost wild-haired look. Looking to their leader, the four warriors seemed to wait for Sebastian's approval, the leader of the Order nodding as he turned back to Harry and asked, "Your orders my lord Harry?"

"First," Harry replied, "As I said: it's just Harry; if you must address me as Lord, then only do so to keep up public appearance; we are friends and allies both; second, I want you to do as Hermione requested; while I am not sexist about these things, I would appreciate a male mentor and guard watching me while Hermione has the female warriors. Third, when we reach France, I will propose your offer to my guardians, Daniel and Emma Granger, whom you shall also address by their names and treat them with the utmost respect; and finally, in the course of our holiday, Hermione and I seek to perform the Ritual of Release on our elements: during the rest period, I charge you, Sebastian, with taking charge of any of my affairs and only wake me if it is absolutely necessary. As Holy Knight of Thunder and the last of the Pure Knights, I command you."

"As the Warriors of Pendragon, we obey," replied the five, both Felicia – the green-streaked warrior – and Dante – the blue-streaked warrior – looking proud with their new tasks as the boat continued on towards the French coastline.

As the last stage of their cruise took effect, Harry was still up on the main deck, Sebastian standing protectively at his side while Hermione had taken the other warriors to meet with her parents; seeing the French Coastline coming into view, Harry then asked, "Sebastian, would you care to explain more about who you are?"

"Of course my l…Harry," Sebastian answered, gaining a glare from Harry as he almost slipped up with the address. "The Order of Pendragon was crafted by one of the Heirs of the Holy Knights, one Godric Gryffindor…"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" asked Harry, before he chuckled and added, "Don't answer that."

"Indeed," Sebastian continued, now standing at his lord's side, leaning against the rail of the ship as he carried on with his story. "Lord Gryffindor was a truly noble warrior and, when the lineage of the Knights was threatened, he charged the Order with the care, respect, and eternal loyalty towards those who followed in his stead. Many of these Warriors, as we chose to name ourselves, have followed in his stead, always maintaining the code of the Order: Honour, Loyalty, Truth and Unity. I was fifteen when I was chosen to be trained as a Warrior of Pendragon and, through the years of my life, I have waited for the moment when my lord would call upon us once more. I was twenty eight when I became the High Commander of the Order and, in the fourteen years since that day, I have served the Knights and their ideals with true loyalty."

"Fourteen years?" asked Harry, "Are you saying that you have been a Knight for a year longer than my life?"

"I am," answered Sebastian, "You see my lord, the rank of High Commander can only be given to you upon oath of loyalty by one of the Holy Knights; the one who knighted me with this honoured rank was…your Father, my Lord."

"Dad?" asked Harry, "He was a Holy Knight?"

"No," answered Sebastian, "Your Grandfather, Charles Potter, was a Holy Knight: the Holy Knight of Light and, in his final will, when your Father discovered that your Mother was pregnant, Charles had charged James Potter to use the last act of the Holy Knight and name the successor of High Commander Evans."

"Evans?" asked Harry, "You mean…"

"Your Mother's parents," Sebastian nodded, "Despite what you have been told Harry, the clans of Potter and Evans have been allies for many years and, in their lifetime, only two have married into each other's services: the late, and honoured, Lord James Potter and Lady Lillian, alias Lily Evans: both purebloods and both powerful wizards whom it was my honour and privilege to treat as my own Lord and Lady."

"Mum," Harry whispered, his eyes dampening as he thought on Sebastian's words, "Dad: both were warriors and both had Knights: Mum was pureblood and Dad was the chosen one to name the new High Commander."

"I do not mean to upset you," Sebastian exclaimed, seeing the emotion in the eyes of his lord, "But from your reaction, it is clear to me, my Lord Harry that you know not who you are descended from."

"No," Harry whispered, wiping his eyes, "I don't: thank you Sebastian; I am honoured to have one who worked so well with my parents standing at my side. If you'll excuse me, I need to go and prepare for our landing in France."

"Yes my lord," Sebastian gave Harry a salute before he turned to look back at the scenery around them; he was stood there for some time, before another presence made Sebastian turn.

Padfoot was sat a few inches away from the man, his eyes locked onto the High Commander as if recognising him; a growl rippled deep in Padfoot's throat as he stood up, his stance indicating attack and a sense of threat.

"Don't worry," Sebastian told the dog, "I won't reveal your secret to my lord: that truth is yours and yours alone, but I will say this."

He then crossed the deck and seemed to tower over Padfoot, his eyes fixed on the dog as he lowered himself and looked into the eyes of the creature, seeing both Padfoot and the soul beneath the beast.

"I warn you," whispered Sebastian, "If the rumours are true and you mean any harm to my lord Harry Potter, Azkaban will seem like an island paradise compared to the hell I will put you through…Sirius Black."

Then, still locking eyes with Padfoot, Sebastian gave a sneer before he rose and walked off across the ferry, seeking out his lord and lady, a part of him keeping a very watchful eye on Padfoot, the code of the Order forcing him to keep his silence until his Lord wished it:

Honour – by honouring the memory of Lily and James and keeping their son, the last Pure Knight safe and strong;

Loyalty – by choosing this moment, just days after his lord had become the Knight, to become his lord's mentor and his guide into the powers of the Knights as well as ensuring that his lord was free of all attempted manipulations against his destiny;

Truth – His lord had not yet asked about the truth and, until such a time, Sebastian was not one to reveal anything that his lord had not wished him to tell;

Unity – Keeping the Pure Holy Knight with his Anointed One and ensuring that the Balance was kept to its place within his Lord: a Grey-level wizard whose only ally was himself and the destiny of the Holy Knights;

Yes, Sebastian was keeping to the code and so, until he was asked about the mysterious mutt that had become his Lord's pet and friend, he would keep a _very_ close eye on Padfoot;

Alias Sirius Black…

_**Chapter 5 and it appears that things are heating up for the Holy Knight of Thunder; new allies, new powers and now a holiday that he hopes will be one to remember, but can he enjoy himself despite these new revelations?**_

_**Plus, just how long will Sebastian keep the secret identity of 'Padfoot' a secret?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out;**_

_**Next Chapter: Holiday in France and Harry and Hermione enter their training with the Order of Pendragon; plus, Harry and Hermione perform the ritual, which brings about some surprise results and shocking revelations for the HKT and the HKO; also, back in England, we find out why Neville was so uncomfortable and his grandmother has a suggestion to help out;**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, **__**PLEASE stop trying to guess who the other Knight will be; I do have a plan for it that will seriously affect the canon universe, but PLEASE STOP GUESSING!**_


	6. Survival of the Fittest

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**5:**_

_**Liveera: No, and I don't want to spoil the surprise so please stop asking me;**_

_**DarkHeart81: I'm not saying that; it's just I prefer to write it where Harry is a pureblood;**_

_**BananaManiaBubblegum: That's why I came up with this crazy exercise demonstrated in this chapter and the next one;**_

_**StormyFireDragon: I'm grateful for your kind words and I like that you wish to read it over and over;**_

_**Cateagle: Methinks that you is right on all points, friend; I loved writing both the ferry and birthday scenes with great enjoyment;**_

_**m-f42: I don't know, but for me, it provides a nice touch to the story; you can disagree if you want, but that's what I think and it's what I like;**_

_**harryhermionealways: I didn't actually say that she **_**wasn't**_** accepted, though, did I?**_

_**Aealket: Not yet, but I might put Susan in as a friend and warrior to Hermione;**_

_**ChAOtiC ReApEr: Hilarious thought, but not something that might happen in this story; sorry;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: Well, every Lord needs a force to protect and train him, don't they? I liked writing about their powers and, soon, it'll go from writing about the powers to describing them;**_

"_Mum," Harry whispered, his eyes dampening as he thought on Sebastian's words, "Dad: both were warriors and both had Knights: Mum was pureblood and Dad was the chosen one to name the new High Commander."_

"_I do not mean to upset you," Sebastian exclaimed, seeing the emotion in the eyes of his lord, "But from your reaction, it is clear to me, my Lord Harry that you know not who you are descended from."_

"_No," Harry whispered, wiping his eyes, "I don't: thank you Sebastian; I am honoured to have one who worked so well with my parents standing at my side. If you'll excuse me, I need to go and prepare for our landing in France."_

Chapter 6: Survival of the Fittest

When the ferry reached the port of Calais, Harry was not only provided with a second mode of transport for the Order of Pendragon, but also a personal escort, courtesy of the French Ministry of Magic, his mantle of Holy Knight obviously meaning more to them than it did the British. All throughout the journey, Harry and Hermione sat together, both enjoying the luscious French countryside as well as the looks of the many villages and towns from afar, their rented villa located in a magical district on the outskirts of Paris, the district itself known as Les Terres Magiques, a location that Sebastian translated for Harry into The Mystic Lands.

Climbing out of the car, Harry and Hermione both assisted the Order in moving their things into the villa, while Dan and Emma placed their cars in the rented garages, Harry and Hermione choosing to explore while the Order, with help from Dobby, helped settle their Lord and Lady into their accommodation.

In Harry's opinion, the magical world certainly knew how to make a visitor feel welcome: their villa had five bedrooms and three bathrooms, each one decorated like a member of royalty was staying within its walls. Somehow, Harry had a feeling that word had leaked out through the Ministry as to just _who_ was staying on this holiday; as well as the perfectly designed sleeping accommodations, there were also two training rooms – one for physical and one for magical – as well as a library that had Hermione and Emma drooling, until Harry made a rather intimidating comment as he told them, "From what I've heard, the libraries owned by Godric and Salazar are more like whole complexes under one roof."

"Harry!" snapped Hermione, "Don't tease me like that."

Harry just laughed as he then discovered a large lounge and dining area complete with full Muggle entertainment systems and a whole wall filled with the latest films and CDs. To Harry, this wasn't just a rented villa, this was a palace that could only be complete by the sight and presence of a…

"Harry!" called Hermione from the back end of the villa, "You need to see this pool: it's amazing!"

"Okay," Harry laughed, "Now it's perfect."

_**HPHG**_

For the first few days, the Grangers, Harry and the Order all divided their plans into exploring Les Terres Magiques as well as training on their physical and magical strengths and weaknesses, as well as – in the case of Harry and Hermione – having long, informative conversations with one of the five warriors about their future skills and powers. In fact, Harry found himself enjoying the holiday so much that a part of him realised, four days into the three-week vacation that he wouldn't have minded if someone had offered him the place on a more permanent basis.

On the Friday morning of their holiday, Harry was lounging out by the pool, his eyes closed and his hands at his sides as he concentrated on the powerful rushes of magic he had experienced lately, his mind trying to clear away the cobwebs of misinformation that Harry had been forced to endure throughout his life. Now that he was destined to be the new leader of a band of warriors for the wizarding world, Harry knew that he needed to go into any situation, battle or otherwise, with a clear head and so, with his daily relaxations and meditations, he was always able to clear his mind of the stories he had been told and finally decide on his own course of action.

"My Lord?"

Opening his eyes, Harry was surprised to see that Sebastian was stood at his side, dressed not in sun-enjoying attire, but the same long, and to Harry's eyes, extremely heavy-looking white robe that he had been dressed in on the ferry. Sitting upright, Harry curled one of his knees against his chest and gently lay his arms across it as he asked, "What's up Sebastian?"

"I was just wondering if you would like to go through some of the training sets necessary for the Knight of Thunder, my Lord," Sebastian explained, his head low as he remained standing, "Lady Hermione is currently running through some water-taming techniques with Elora and Tyler, Felicia and Dante have gone into Paris with Master Daniel and Mistress Emma for protective purposes."

"I see," Harry smiled, chuckling as he imagined the kind of reaction Dan would give if he heard himself being addressed as Master. "And just what kind of training is necessary for me Sebastian?"

"First and foremost," Sebastian explained, "There is the matter of your emotions, my Lord: as Knight of Thunder, you are pretty dangerous when it comes to being angered and your moods can change as quickly as a lightning flash. If you will permit me, my Lord, there is something that can help with this."

"Only if you stop being so formal Sebastian," Harry insisted, shaking his head, "Or do you not remember my telling you to use my name?"

"I'm sorry Harry," Sebastian grinned, "A bad force of habit."

"I understand," Harry laughed, before he stood up and asked, "What do I need to do?"

"Well," Sebastian answered, "I was thinking we could turn this training into a game: you see Harry, when you grow annoyed with any kind of situation, you immediately lash out, but here's my point: how long does it last? Does it last until you have defeated your enemy or does it last only a matter of minutes?"

"I see your point," Harry nodded, "I mean, when I first grew angry with someone who dared to insult Hermione, it took a full body bind to relinquish that emotion and, even then, I was still annoyed; but the second time I did it was when I cast the Spider Swarm Jinx and it lasted only a couple of minutes, which wasn't necessary, I agree, but it was fun."

"I see," Sebastian commented, stepping past Harry as he added, "Come with me Harry."

Stepping through the French doors at the rear of the villa, Harry followed Sebastian down towards the magical training room, his eyes wide as he opened the door…and found his own reflection staring back at him.

"What is this Sebastian?" asked Harry, looking around, noticing mirrors that surrounded almost every point of the compass around him.

Sebastian's voice came from somewhere within, "Muggles, Harry, would call this a mirror maze and the key thing here is to not rely on your sense of sight or sound to guide you. Plus, if you cannot find your way around, then you will grow angry and maybe even start to panic; now, as I told you, this game is to test your emotions and how you would control them. I have placed a mild Power Dampening Ward around this room to stop your magic being out of control during the game and, in this game, the aim is this: Death-Match."

"Aha," Harry replied, trying his hardest not to make himself dizzy as he saw himself all around, the walls of the mirror maze making him confused and, as he took deep breaths, he began to realise that it was also making him slightly annoyed. "And what's a Death-Match Sebastian?"

"Not what you would expect," answered the Warrior Commander, "In fact, my lord, it is a means of fun and enjoyment for Muggles and certain magical users. Now, here are the rules: we are both only allowed to use one spell and it is a spell known as _orbis pigmento_, which will fire a ball of paint at a target. I have already cast this spell before Harry and my paintballs are lime green; would you mind testing the spell yourself?"

"All right," Harry remarked, lifting his wand; pointing it to one of his mirrored selves, he commanded, "_Orbis pigmento!_"

A ball of silver light flew from his wand and splattered against the mirror, leaving a paintball mark that, to Harry's amusement, was actually shaped like a slightly disfigured bolt of lightning. Casting it again to make sure he wasn't seeing things, Harry saw another bolt lying on top of the first; with an amused chuckle, he called out, "Silver!"

"I guessed as much," Sebastian replied.

Harry, however, sensed a problem here; raising his voice, he called, "Sebastian?"

"Yes Harry?" replied the warrior.

"Will these balls hurt?"

"No," Sebastian replied, "Not if we aim for the body and the legs; nowhere near the head or the mouth as these balls can be considered poisonous, especially if the spell is untamed, which is also the second point of this exercise: to prove to me that you can tame a spell that you have never used before. Now, because of the mirror maze, we won't know if we get a hit, which is why an alarm will sound as and when we get hit: if you get hit, there will be a sound like a crack of thunder. If I get hit, you will hear a sound like the howling winds and then, we will have a ten second respite while the room adjusts the maze. Time will expire when one of us reaches…I don't know: what say you Harry?"

"How about fifteen?" suggested Harry, "Given that's how old I plan on being by the time I truly earn the mantle Holy Knight of Thunder!"

"Ideal," Sebastian laughed, before he added, "We shall have one round of fifteen today then my lord and, next week, we shall increase it to twenty and have Lady Hermione join us as well as either Elora or Tyler."

"Why them?" asked Harry, "Why not Dante or Felicia?"

"Because Dante and Felicia are newly anointed knights," explained Sebastian, "Elora and Tyler are more experienced in this exercise: next week will be a team Death-Match and then, to finish, I shall have some special equipment sent for Dan and Emma and the five knights shall take on the four of you."

"That doesn't seem fair," Harry retorted, until he caught the hidden meaning, "Oh…I see; in battle, it won't be fair and so we need to know what to do when we believe that the enemy is all around us, correct?"

"Precisely Harry," Sebastian laughed, "So, I will give you ten minutes to explore the first base design of the maze and then, when you hear the lion's roar, the game shall begin: for what it's worth, my Lord: good luck."

"You too," Harry replied, a part of him hoping that he was going to emerge from this exercise in one piece. Keeping himself as calm as possible, Harry took his first step forwards and began to explore the maze, relying only on instinct and his other senses to help direct him around the mirrored environment, a part of him actually wondering just what part of this Muggles found fun.

Several times, Harry almost stumbled as he found the opening through to the next section of the maze and others, he'd turn in the wrong direction and walk smack into his own reflection, a part of him growing slightly agitated; finally, after what seemed like an age, there was a sound like a thousand lions roaring and Harry prepared himself, using the mirrors not only as cover, but as a means to see his enemy.

The first strike was completely unexpected: Harry had been aiming his wand around an opening when he had felt a sting on his neck; slapping his hand to the sting, Harry pulled it away and found lime green paint lining his fingers.

"One to nothing," he laughed, "Good work Sebastian."

The mirrors shifted and Harry heard Sebastian's voice from just to his right, "Thanks very much…oh shit."

"_Orbis pigmento_, one-all," Harry whispered, a silver bolt now adorning Sebastian's white robe as Harry watched the mirrors shifting around once more, the young wizard using his senses and his instincts to guide him through the maze.

The hunt was on…

_**HPHG**_

Over three hours later, covered in lime green and silver paintball markings, Harry and Sebastian both emerged from the training room, the Holy Knight of Thunder humming the tune to _We Are The Champions_ while Sebastian simply patted Harry on the back, proud of how Harry had won the round:

_Flashback_

_With the score tied at 14 all, both Harry and Sebastian were now like deer caught in the headlights: they had been in here an awful long time and, with the maze adjusting itself every time one of them scored a point, it was almost impossible for them to gain a point now that both of them were on the attack and the defensive._

_If it hadn't been for Sebastian allowing a slightly longer respite to regain their breaths, as well as using a mild Aguamenti charm to help hydrate their bodies, then the warrior feared that his young lord would have collapsed from emotional exhaustion a long time beforehand. As the respite ended, Sebastian curved through the maze like a fox through the brambles, his eyes on every mirror and every route as he hoped that he wasn't the one to break the stalemate while another side to him reminded the warrior that this was still a game of survival and he was determined to win. True, Harry was his lord and master, but this was a battle of wits and magic and the experienced commander was determined to emerge victorious._

_Turning through another maze exit, Sebastian stopped dead: Harry was standing right in front of him, leaning almost mockingly against a walled exit to another part of the maze; when he saw Sebastian there, Harry smiled and waved as he asked, "Game over?"_

"_Yes Harry," Sebastian grinned, raising his wand, "Orbis…"_

"…_pigmento maxima!" Harry finished, surprising Sebastian as the balls of silver paint flew from Harry's wand, splattering the mirror and…wait what?_

'_Mirror?' thought Sebastian, until he felt a barrage of silver balls striking him in the spine; wheeling round, the commander saw Harry there, his wand actually smoking as the barrage finally found its target._

_It wasn't until Sebastian looked back to the mirror that he realised what had happened: he had made the biggest mistake in any battle and allowed his enemy – _literally–_ to back him into a corner and the Harry that had been leaning on a walled exit had in fact been standing right behind him, leaning on an ordinary mirror._

_A double-edged sword had been played against Sebastian: the master had been outfoxed by the apprentice and, as he turned and shook Harry's hand, Sebastian knew that with a one-on-one contest, Harry was the victor._

_Sebastian was determined to even the score in the Team Death-Match…_

_Flashback End_

Looking down at his lord, Sebastian laughed as the fact of the matter came back to him: he, the seemingly self-proclaimed expert at this exercise had fallen for the oldest trick in the book and allowed himself to be taken advantage of.

Yet, the crazy part about that was the fact that he just didn't care: Harry had been acting a little too stoic in the past few weeks and yet, when he had been focused in battle, he had let nothing slip. This mask had also faded in the room when Harry, for the first time in a very long time, was allowed to actually live his life as a child on holiday was supposed to.

To him, it hadn't been an exercise-based game: it had been fun and games and, as the smile on his face would suggest, Harry was more than convinced of the fact that he was eagerly awaiting round two against the top two _experienced_ members of the Order of Pendragon.

What Sebastian didn't know, however, was that Harry wouldn't just be ready by then: he would also be changed as a warrior and as the Holy Knight of Thunder all thanks to the ritual.

But for now, he needed to get a well-earned shower, fill his growling stomach and then go to find Hermione, the two of them both having agreed on their first night that the first weekend was the perfect time to perform the Ritual of Release.

_**HPHG**_

The bedroom shared by Harry and Hermione had lost all its grandeur as the two were now sat in the middle of the floor, in the centre of a large runic circle that had been drawn in blood, the runes symbolising each of the elements and each of what Harry had read to be the emotional states of the Holy Knights: Strength, Honour, Valour, Trust, Bravery and Truth.

Looking to Hermione, who was kneeling before him, her body stripped bare save for her undergarments, Harry asked, "Are you sure you're ready to do this love?"

"I am," Hermione replied, taking Harry's hand as she sat down, crossing her legs and, with her right hand, taking his left and vice-versa, forming a near-perfect X-shape between them. Looking to Harry, who thankfully had gained a fair bit of weight since his freedom from the Dursleys, Hermione asked, "Are you? I know that it will hurt you more because you're a Pure Knight."

"For our unity," Harry replied, his bright emerald eyes emphasising his point, "I will take even the ultimate risk to do any kind of release on my body: now, remember love that it _will_ hurt us both and that, until I say the word, we cannot let go of one another, understand?"

"I do," Hermione answered, watching as Harry sat down with her, his own legs wrapped around her body as if cocooning her in his embrace, their arms ever-straight as Harry took a deep breath.

"And remember," he whispered, "You _must_ say every line we rehearsed after I have, okay?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, watching as Harry closed his eyes, a soft, silvery glow suddenly rising around his legs and flowing upwards until it began to coalesce within his chest, the area around his heart now glowing like white lightning as he spoke in an almost ritualistic chant.

"_Fulmina perrumpunt libera animam meam,_" Harry's voice was both fuelled by power and yet, as he said the words, the glow began to spider-web its way down right arm, slowly making its way to his fingers, the feeling of raw magic being channeled through him causing Harry's face to twist and contort in discomfort. Nevertheless, he continued, "_Vestra potestate publica fieri consors!_"

Hermione gasped herself as she felt a warm tingling now covering her body, her legs being massaged by the tingles as they swam from Harry's encasing grip into her body; at the same time, she felt her hands warm up, the tips of her fingers feeling like she had dipped them into molten magma as the white glow began to crawl across her skin.

Knowing that this was her time, Hermione spoke up, her voice in the same tone as Harry's, "_Sit vis tempestatis fiat meum, et dimitte nobis aquam iungere._"

At her words, the silver glow began to increase its crawling speed; however, when it reached Hermione's heart, it seemed to become snared by a cyclone of silver and blue that swallowed it up into her, neither Hermione or Harry daring to open their eyes or release the other from the pain. Hermione was now grinding her teeth and actually gripping onto Harry's wrists, feeling him return the favour as well as almost lock her in a full-body lock with his legs as the blue light now left Hermione's heart and began to crawl down her left arm and gather at her fingertips, the power of water flowing through her as an ominous rumble of thunder sounded in their ears.

Now came the hard part: the last part was something they had to say in unison and, if they got it wrong, then the ritual had its deathly possibility engaged, which meant they could die. However, unlike other casters of this ritual, Harry trusted Hermione and she trusted him; together, as if one voice, they began to chant once more, "_Iam virtutem tonitrus et mare unum omni tempore, ut simul nos et opus faciunt origine spirituali elementis leo bestia nobis; vobis mandamus!_"

As the chanting was finished, Harry and Hermione gave a collective cry of pain, their eyes opening, the colours in their eyes coming alive as waves of white magic flowed from Harry, a similar collection of waves flowing from Hermione, though hers were ocean blue. Together, the two of them seemed to bind together, forming a spiralled chain of magic that formed over the heads of the two knights, both Harry and Hermione lost in the awe and wonder of what they were witnessing.

As they watched, the two wizards then saw the chain descend between them, its magic forcing their arms apart before the tip of the blue began to snake towards Harry, linking directly to his still-glowing heart while the white slithered over to Hermione, bonding in a similar fashion to her still-glowing heart. Then, as if simulateneously linked by this moment, both Harry and Hermione whispered one last piece of the ritual, "_Donec vobis unum nobiscum._"

The blue and white snakes of magic began to slither into the knights' hearts, both Harry and Hermione now laying their hands upon their laps as they doubled over, the heat and energy shared between the two driving their pain levels to the extreme; this time, however, they did not cry out as they looked upon one another, Harry now sporting a pair of eyes that were heterochromic: one was his mystical emerald green and the other was pure silver, like a bolt of pure lightning.

Hermione had undergone a similar transformation: her eyes were also heterochromic, but, unlike Harry, she bore her usual – and in Harry's opinion, attractive – chocolate-brown eye as well as one that could only be described as sea-blue, her second eye almost shimmering like waves upon the sea while Harry's seemed to glow like it was caught in a never-ending flash of lightning.

'_Hermione is more beautiful now than ever,_' thought Harry, smiling as his energy and fatigue began to slowly fade away.

"Thank you Harry," Hermione whispered, her own magical levels falling as the pre-organised rest period following the ritual took effect.

The last thing that both Knights did was look each other in the eyes as they realised what had just happened, both of them losing consciousness with one word, '_What?_'

_**Chapter 6 and the ritual is done, but what will the backlash be for the wizarding world and especially for Harry, given his INNER curse from Voldemort?**_

_**Also, what benefits await the Holy Knights with their bond stronger and, when next they battle, can Sebastian make the battle-score become 1-1?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out;**_

_**Next Chapter: While Harry and Hermione undergo the rest period, back in England, we find out why Neville was so uncomfortable and his grandmother has a suggestion to help out; plus, we discover the situation with the Dursleys, Dumbledork and Dead Man Walking; also, Sebastian and the Order have a quiet word with Dan and Emma about September and, in their minds, Harry and Hermione discover the truth about their bond and their powers from a very surprising source…**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Ritual Word Translations: (provided by Google translate)**_

_**Fulmina perrumpunt libera animam meam; Vestra potestate publica fieri consors**__**: **__Lightning, break free of my soul; Let your power become that of my mate_

_**Sit vis tempestatis fiat meum, et dimitte nobis aquam iungere:**__Let the power of the storm become mine and let water unite us_

_**Iam virtutem tonitrus et mare unum omni tempore, ut simul nos et opus faciunt origine spirituali elementis leo bestia nobis; vobis mandamus**__**: **__Now let the power of thunder and ocean become one for all time; together we shall work as one and bring about the rise of the spiritual elements; release the beasts within us; we command you!_

_**Donec vobis unum nobiscum**__**: **__We accept you; become one with us._

_**Also, **__**PLEASE stop trying to guess who the other Knight will be; I do have a plan for it that will seriously affect the canon universe, but PLEASE STOP GUESSING!**_


	7. The Longest Day

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**6:**_

_**Budarthur: they are currently boyfriend and girlfriend; their relationship will progress through GOF, but for now, that's all they are;**_

_**Zamia: Anyone who writes a story as canon – particularly with a NICE Ron – doesn't know what a real story is;**_

_**Redwoodx: if you liked round 1, then you'll love rounds 2 and 3;**_

_**Airlady: yes it was and the outcome is worth it;**_

_**KennethRose: The Order already realise the difference as they are bound to protect the Holy Knights;**_

_**StormyFireDragon: Much obliged and I'm glad you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy yours;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: Interesting points and believe me, the ritual was fun to write: just to explore that side of my creativity; hopefully, this story is still within challenge rules, particularly with what I have planned for Riddle;**_

_**Aealket: Harry and Hermione are enjoying simply being together – France is just a bonus;**_

'_Hermione is more beautiful now than ever,' thought Harry, smiling as his energy and fatigue began to slowly fade away._

"_Thank you Harry," Hermione whispered, her own magical levels falling as the pre-organised rest period following the ritual took effect._

_The last thing that both Knights did was look each other in the eyes as they realised what had just happened, both of them losing consciousness with one word, 'What?'_

Chapter 7: The Longest Day

Sebastian, Elora, Tyler, Felicia and Dante all looked up, each one of them gasping in unison as they felt the connection between the Order and their Lord strengthen, the mysterious crest that was upon Sebastian's robe suddenly glowing with silver and blue light before the dragon on their crest came alive and seemed to link the crown with the sword in its claws, forming an X-shape across its breast.

"Lord McDale," gasped Elora, moving to her leader's side as she watched him seemingly rubbing his hand over the crest, "What does this mean sir?"

"It means that Lord Harry and Lady Hermione must have performed the ritual," explained Sebastian, "Now that their elemental bloodline has been awakened, the two of them are one in mind, body and magic, unified by the power of Lord Harry, Holy Knight of Thunder."

"So what are your orders sir?" asked Dante, leaning rather casually against the wall of the villa, "According to the Storm and Ocean Lords, we must report to them when their warriors become stronger."

"And we will," Sebastian agreed, "But our duty to Lord Harry comes first: we will speak with Master Daniel and Mistress Emma about assisting our Lord and Lady at Hogwarts and then, when the period of restoration expires and they awaken from their trance, we shall work to help them both tame their powers."

"And what of Albus Dumbledore?" asked Tyler, "You know as well as I do Sebastian that he won't give up until he has Lord Harry under his command."

"Then it is imperative that we do not allow that to happen," Sebastian told them, looking to each of his comrades as he explained, "While Lord Harry and Lady Hermione recover through their link, we will venture back to the mainland and keep a close eye on those who could either harm or help our Lord and, once we are done, we will go to Gringotts and allow Lord Harry to know of his full inheritance."

"How?" asked Felicia, looking to Sebastian with a note of confusion in her voice.

"We will speak on his behalf with Ragnok and allow Lord Harry access to the artefacts of his family," Dante explained, "I understand that he does have the Sword of Gryffindor at his side, as well as the alliance of an Ancient House, but, if we are to protect him, then we must do it right, agreed?"

"Agreed," the four Order members nodded, looking to their leader as he looked once more to the newly-animated dragon's crest, a part of him hoping that his Lord and Lady would be all right following the restoration process.

"Very well," Sebastian sighed, "Now that we understand our places here, I have a task for each of you…"

_**HPHG**_

Neville Longbottom was having an unusual summer: first, his fellow Gryffindors, Harry and Hermione are divided from the infamous Golden Trio; then, Harry becomes a Lord and is recognised as a Holy Knight, which is big enough. But then, he gains the allegiance of the Weasley Family as a means to pay off a life-debt owed from Ginny.

So why was it that Neville actually felt like the spare wheel in Harry's little gang of friends?

It was true that he and Harry had not been real friends like Ron had _pretended_ to be and Hermione had allowed herself to become; however, Neville did know that his family had a history with the Potters and that Harry's mother – rest her soul – had been named as Neville's godmother. But, on the other hand, Neville had wanted to rekindle the friendship that his Father had held with James Potter and, despite what his sense of duty was telling him, he wasn't doing this simply because Harry had revealed himself to be a Holy Knight.

He wasn't called Ronald Weasley; he was Neville Longbottom and he was a boy who prided himself on the company he kept as well as those who deserved respect and, after what had been done at the party, it was clear to Neville that Harry was someone who deserved respect.

"Something wrong Neville?" asked his grandmother, distracting the boy's train of thought as Neville looked up from his seat in the dining hall of Longbottom Manor, his summer reading tasks open before him.

"No Gran," Neville replied, his face shifting into a smile as he looked out of the window, "Just thinking."

"About Harry and Hermione?" she asked, Neville nodding almost subconsciously as he looked across the rolling meadows and the valley of Snowdonia that his family's home was located within.

"I'm not jealous," he explained, "But I just can't trust that the Weasleys will keep their vow to Harry and, now that he's a Holy Knight, it makes me feel further away from my family's kinship with him than ever."

"Why don't you tell him that?" asked Augusta Longbottom, her hand on her grandson's shoulder, "He is your friend, isn't he?"

"I suppose," Neville smiled, "But what do I say?"

"You stopped him from making a big mistake, didn't you?"

"Yeah," answered the thirteen-year-old, "So?"

"Are you truly that dense?" laughed Augusta, earning a look of sorrow from Neville as she shook her head, "Tell him that you wish to confirm your position as his friend and, in the name of your family's kinship with House Potter, simply wish to act as a warrior and/or friend to him. In fact, you _could_ offer to undergo a blood pact with him: after all, you're both born on the same day."

"We are?" asked Neville, slightly shocked at this new piece of information, "But my birthday is always the day before Harry, isn't it?"

"No," Augusta replied, pulling a chair out as she sat down with Neville, "That's the strange thing: you see, both Alice and Lily went into labour at exactly the same time and had both you and Harry at the same moment. Now, you may say that it is a mere coincidence, but, before their…unfortunate deaths, Lily and James were always round here with Harry and, when the two of you were together, you were truly inseparable. It was like the two of you were real brothers and, though it was rare, but there were times when Harry was only happy if you were happy."

"Wow," Neville gasped, "I never knew that."

"Frank didn't want me to tell you," Augusta explained, "Because of the threats posed between you, Harry and Dumbledore; you see Neville, I never told anyone this personally, but, as Harry has recently proven, I don't think I can trust Albus Dumbledore any longer either."

"So what do I do?" asked Neville, returning his attention to the window.

"Write him a letter," Augusta suggested, "And ask him to meet you in Diagon Alley: if you want to tell him about this, then do, but let him make the last decision, all right?"

"All right," Neville smiled, before he joked, "Anything for my brother."

"That's more like it," Augusta smiled, ruffling Neville's hair as she left him to his homework;

However, as she left Neville alone, the Dowager Longbottom was unaware of Tyler and Elora hiding in the shadows, both of them smiling as they saw their Lord's world being rebuilt.

Now they had to inform Sebastian of this progress…

_**HPHG**_

Ron Weasley was in a bad mood – surprise, surprise – and it was all the fault of that attention-seeking prick he had once called his friend: it was bad enough that Harry was now with Hermione, which cut off the only chance Ron had with the girl, but to be given the rank of Holy Knight and then to actually give his family money and station was the final insult.

When his Father had returned to their hotel in Egypt and found Ron there, in a bad mood, all he had said was, "It's your own fault, remember that," before he had gone out and spent the summer with the family, leaving Ron to stew in his own juices and drown in vivid imaginations containing Potter begging for mercy and Granger in his bed.

Ron was determined to get her back and get back at Potter and, thanks to the recent news about the Azkaban escapee, Ron believed himself to have a weapon that he could use against Mr Holy Knight.

If only he knew about the looming figures of Dante and Felicia hiding among the shadows of the hotel room, their advanced skills easily brushing through his jealousy-driven mind and wild imaginations.

Now they had to warn Sebastian of this ass-hole's plans and hope that their Lord was as sharp as he seemed…

_**HPHG**_

Albus Dumbledore was in a quandary: his prime weapon had been driven from the Dursleys by the decree of that interfering witch Amelia Bones and now, as well as having the protections of Madam Bones as well as the strength of his own magical ability, Albus knew that Harry had changed and undergone a magical transformation.

This was all wrong was all that the old fool could think to himself: Harry wasn't supposed to know about his destiny as a Holy Knight until Albus was ready to tell him and, even then, the wards and compulsions would have sunk in deep enough so that Harry saw Dumbledore as the real leader around here. Then, with help from the prophecy and Harry's uncanny knack for saving people, Albus could mould the last of the Pure Knights and make him his obedient servant, bringing about a second coming of the Light in magic with Harry at his side until he killed Tom, which was when Albus would kill Harry and claim victory by conquest.

However, thanks to that mudblood bitch, Harry's other knack for interfering where he wasn't welcome and the damned Ministry's edicts about Harry being granted emancipation, Dumbledore had all but lost out.

He had one last card to play, however: Remus was coming to Hogwarts as the new Defence Teacher and, with Dumbledore's little hints about Harry needing his help, Albus knew that it would be a case of the blind leading the blind as Remus would seek to protect Harry and then, when the time was right, Harry would meet the recently escaped Sirius Black and the final chess piece would be in place.

Even Harry James Potter couldn't hide from destiny and, once he learned the truth about Sirius' incarceration, Harry would come running to Dumbledore and the Holy Knight would be his once more.

It was all for the Greater Good and, if Dumbledore worked fast, he would be able to get Harry _before_ the Knight underwent his true maturity, after which he would be unable to touch Harry due to the rank, station and authority that all Holy Knights presented themselves.

There was only _one_ real Light Lord in the world and his name was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and soon, Harry would be his.

That, however, was about as unlikely as Fawkes really being his: the phoenix stood on its perch, sensing the evil intentions of the old one and the threat he posed to Fawkes' true master. The phoenix knew he would have to wait for the right moment, but, before the summer was out, Fawkes would need to warn the warriors of his Master about the plans of the old one and the care they would have to take around Remus Lupin.

However, Fawkes needn't have bothered worrying if he had known that, at that precise moment, one Sebastian McDale, Commander of the Order of Pendragon was watching from the shadows, his eyes shining with hatred and oaths of vengeance upon Dumbledore for what he was planning. Through the link he shared with his other warriors, Sebastian sensed that their missions were successful and that left just one target:

The reason that Dumbledore thought he had won as well as the ones that Sebastian would take great pleasure in exacting justice upon for daring to harm his Lord…

_**HPHG**_

"Harry, wake up please; you need to see this."

Harry's heterochromic eyes adjusted to a sudden darkness all around them as Hermione leaned next to him, her arm around his shoulders, her eyes fixed on a spot before them. With a groan, Harry sat upright and, rubbing his eyes, asked, "What's wrong Mione?"

"That," answered Hermione, pointing towards what appeared to be a gathering of light and raw magic that had just sprung up before them, its silvery and blue colours indicating that it was somehow tied to the recently bound witch and wizard.

Looking into the energy, Harry pulled his head back as he asked, "Where are we? Is the rest period over?"

"No," Hermione answered, looking around as she added, "If my guess is right, I think we're somehow inside our own magical consciousness: the ritual bound us together and," she actually laughed as she looked at Harry, "You're going to think I'm crazy, but, before I blacked out, I thought I heard your voice…inside my head."

"You did," Harry remarked, "And I heard your voice in my head: I don't know how, but it happened nonetheless."

'_It happened because we knew you were ready,_' a mystical voice answered his question, making Harry and Hermione look back towards the raw burning energy before them.

"What…who are you?" asked Harry, "And what do you mean by ready?"

'_We are the collective consciousness of your predecessors Knight of Thunder,_' answered the voice, its glow now burning bright silver, Harry and Hermione looking to one another as the voice continued. '_If you wish a more personal form to speak to, then we shall oblige you._'

The silver and blue snaked out from the energy and began to coalesce around Harry and Hermione, forming two mysterious figures: one was dressed in long silvery robes with white hair that ran down to his shoulders, a beard that seemed to stop somewhere around his waist. His eyes were almost golden-coloured and, as he looked to Harry, this figure bowed with respect.

His companion, on the other hand, had Harry gasping as he saw crimson robes covering a muscular body, a head of golden-coloured hair and deep brown eyes staring at Harry and Hermione. The reason that Harry gasped, however, was because of the blade that was sheathed at the waist of this newcomer; he knew that sword, he _owned _that sword.

"Godric Gryffindor," Harry gasped, before he bowed with respect, "The Holy Knight of Fire."

"Yes," answered Godric, his voice tinged with a Western accent, "And I think my companion needs no introduction, does he Hermione Granger?"

"No," Hermione answered him, looking to the silver-robed wizard, "Myrddin Emrys…you're Merlin."

"That I am child," answered the official Father of Magic. "And it is a pleasure to see warriors so powerful now adopting the mantle of the Holy Knights: Harry James Potter, Lord of Gryffindor and Slytherin and Holy Knight of Thunder, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you sir," Harry gasped, bowing to Merlin as he looked between two of the biggest names in magic, his eyes wide as to just how far back his legacy went.

"Now," Godric continued, "I believe you wish to know of your bond and the powers acquired through it, yes?"

"Yes," answered Harry, watching as Merlin gestured with his hand, conjuring a comfortable-looking room complete with refreshments and a roaring fireplace. When they were all seated, Harry asked the key question, "How is it that Hermione and I can now speak with our minds?"

"You can because your lineage is far older than you think," Merlin answered; he had a grandfatherly voice that made Harry think of Dumbledore, save for the lack of any manipulative essence within his words. "As you know Harry Potter, you are the descendant of both Godric and Salazar, both of whom were Holy Knights in their time."

"Were Helga and Rowena?" asked Hermione, earning a hearty laugh from Godric as he looked to her.

"Oh Emrys," he laughed, "I like this one: yes child, my darling wife Rowena and Salazar's wife Helga were also Holy Knights, each one of us a pure knight. Tell me Hermione Granger, do you know which elements were ours?"

"Gryffindor is the element of fire," Hermione answered, as if she had swallowed the book once again, "Ravenclaw were represented by the element of air, Hufflepuff by earth and Slytherin by water: so that would mean Helga was an Earth Knight, Salazar an Ocean Knight, Rowena an Air Knight and you, Lord Gryffindor, I already know to have been the Holy Knight of Fire."

"Correct," Godric laughed, "Were I a teacher, you would have earned points for that Hermione Granger, but you are right in all four accounts, though Rowena was more commonly known as a Holy Knight of Sky instead of Air and Helga preferred the term Terra, as in Terra Firma. Now, as Emrys told you, you already know that you are the descendant of Salazar and I, but what you were not told was something you have probably just figured out: you are, in fact, the Heir of the Four Hogwarts Founders and so, in contrast to an ordinary Knight, your powers far exceed those of any other, which is how you and Hermione Granger are bound through mind."

"So that would mean that I OWN Hogwarts?" gasped Harry incredulously, "What does that mean for my power as the Holy Knight of Thunder?"

"Only that you are not only the last Pure Knight," explained Merlin, "But you are also the last leader of the Holy Knights, which, in hindsight, grants you the full powers of the elements themselves and, through your little ritual, you now share those powers with Hermione Granger. This kind of unity has never been seen since I first crafted the Knights and so, through this power, I feel no shame in telling you this Harry Potter."

The fireplace flickered in Harry's heterochromic eyes as Merlin leaned forwards, his eyes dark and foreboding as he explained, "Over thirteen years ago, a prophecy was made about you that said you would be the one to defeat the Dark Lord: this…is…a…lie!"

"I know," Harry nodded, "I already defeated Voldemort: he's dead, despite the fact his ghost is trying to kill me."

"Yes he is," Merlin agreed, "But this ghost is not the Voldemort that you know: for you see Harry Potter, it is not Voldemort that is trying to come back, but his older self: Tom Marvolo Riddle. You did defeat the Dark Lord as a baby and now, in a sense of loyalty and homage, Tom Riddle is trying to return so that he can complete the destiny set before him: as an Anointed One. It is why there exists a portion of his soul within your scar and why…"

"Wait, what did you say?" asked Harry, "I have a portion of Riddle's soul inside me?"

"Yes," Merlin nodded, "I thought you knew this."

"No," Harry replied, looking from Merlin to his ancestor as he waited for an explanation.

"There does exist a piece of his soul inside you," Godric explained, "But it's power within you is now simply that of the Commander of the Holy Knights, sort of a Captain, you could say. This soul piece was placed in you by Tom Riddle after the unfortunate deaths of Lily and James Potter and has been there ever since that day. When last you met him, deep within Salazar's Chamber of Secrets, the seal around your scar began to fall and you began to become imbued with power. Now that the ritual has released that power, everything that Tom Riddle is, was and forever will be is now yours to do with as you wish."

"But what does he want with me?" asked Harry, "And what _is_ the prophecy?"

"Well first of all, it's fake," explained Merlin, "The one who made it was a woman pretending to have Seer capabilities known as Sybil Trelawney; she is nothing but a fraud with no ties to the ether at all. However, since you asked, this is the prophecy."

Harry and Hermione, still in shock at the existence of a piece of Voldemort…no Riddle's soul in Harry's head, watched as a mystical voice spoke from all around them, each of the words making the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end;

_The one with the power to vanqu__ish the Dark Lord approaches… _

_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…_

_And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…_

_And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…_

Harry felt like his whole world had suddenly crashed all around him: this was the reason that his parents had died? Because of a false prophecy made by some fraud who, now that Harry thought on it, happened to bear a name similar to the teacher at Hogwarts?

'No,' he thought, a part of him growing angry again, a rumble of thunder sounding all around them, 'Not like the teacher at Hogwarts: she _is_ the teacher at Hogwarts: damn you Dumbledore!'

Hermione, sensing the hatred and rage within her Harry, quickly grabbed him, nodded an _excuse me_ to Godric and Merlin and then, with all the love and energy she could muster, kissed him senseless, pouring her heart and soul into the kiss, knowing that their bond was growing stronger because of it. When she let go, Hermione placed her forehead against his as she whispered, "Harry, if Godric and Emrys are right, then it means that the only one we have to worry about is Dumbledore; once we deal with him, then we can solve the riddle about Riddle and his part as an Anointed One."

"You're…" gasped Harry, his hands shaking as he held onto her, "You're right Hermione," wiping his eyes, he looked to the two ancients as he asked, "Just one question: if Tom's an Anointed…who anointed him?"

"Gellert Grindelwald," explained Merlin, "In a day when he feared his own death, he took a child, a young Tom Riddle, and turned him into the Anointed Holy Knight of Darkness; however, thanks to Dumbledore's interferences and circumstances changing in our lives, Tom Riddle surrendered to his own darkness and Voldemort was born. Now, when he returns, Tom Riddle will return as the Anointed Knight and seek you out Harry Potter, not to hurt you, but to _serve_ you. As the last Pure Knight, it is your right to command and lead the other Knights, be they Anointed or Holy and, within one year, I can promise you this: you will have one more Anointed within your ranks and he will serve you well."

"But if Tom is coming back," Harry remarked, "How can I ensure he follows his destiny?"

"That's easy," Godric answered, the images around them starting to fade as Harry and Hermione felt the comings of awakening covering them; the rest period following the Ritual of Release was coming to an end.

As the images fell completely, Hermione and Harry heard Godric and Merlin speaking in unison, a silver and blue light escorting the Holy Knights back to the land of the living as their last words echoed all around them;

'_You must willingly give your blood to bring him back._'

_**HPHG**_

Opening his eyes, Harry found that he was lying on the floor of his villa bedroom, Hermione seemingly wrapped in his arms, a silvery light now shining from Harry's heart as his powers settled inside him, the magic of the Holy Knights – not just his Storm powers – flowing through him, granting Harry a strong sense of determination as he looked at his girlfriend. It seemed impossible to believe, but Harry actually found himself agreeing with what he had been told: now it all made sense: his encounters with Tom and the way that death seemed to evade both of them, as if drawing them towards the inevitable encounter that was to come.

But, if Merlin and Godric were right and Harry was meant to _rule_ over Tom, then what would that mean for the natural order and, in the unlikely event that it did happen, what would be the outcome concerning Albus Dumbledore and his blasted, fake prophecy?

Only time would tell…

_**Chapter 7 and what a way to twist the HP universe: still, I always did wonder what would happen if there was another reason for Tom wanting to come back and so, here is that occurrence;**_

_**Now that he knows the truth, can Harry trust himself to return to Hogwarts and act as a student while building his forces?**_

_**Also, can the two discover the depths of their power without all of Hogwarts figuring out there's a new owner?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out;**_

_**Next Chapter: Sebastian and the Order have a quiet word with Dan and Emma about September; Harry and Hermione engage in the Team Death Match against the Order; the Holy Knights hear from some old and new friends and Harry pieces together Merlin and Godric's clues about there being another Anointed: it's Neville, but what element should Harry grant him and, a bigger question, how does he do it?**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, **__**PLEASE stop trying to guess who the other Pure Knight will be; I do have a plan for it that will seriously affect the canon universe, but PLEASE STOP GUESSING!**_


	8. United We Stand

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**7:**_

_**Zamia: It kind of does, doesn't it?**_

_**Cassandra30: Thanks for the suggestion, but I have an idea for Neville already;**_

_**ILoveGeorgeEads: Don't worry, he won't get kicked, but rather bitten – and I don't mean by Padfoot;**_

_**StormyFireDragon: right back at you mate;**_

_**Cateagle: Neville's not just better and more competent than Dead Man Walking, he's also got the sense to keep out of things that don't concern him;**_

_**Joyfull Scroll: I may have hinted at it, but he is going to be an Anointed One, not the 'Other' that I mentioned some time ago; they are yet to be revealed; also, he's not going to be either earth or air, but something completely unexpected;**_

_**TriniRandy86: Neville IS a Knight, but not THE Knight sensed from before;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: Sorry, but you're wrong there too: all will be revealed after the Dementor attack;**_

_But, if Merlin and Godric were right and Harry was meant to rule over Tom, then what would that mean for the natural order and, in the unlikely event that it did happen, what would be the outcome concerning Albus Dumbledore and his blasted, fake prophecy?_

_Only time would tell…_

Chapter 8: United We Stand

It took Harry and Hermione two days to fully recover from the after-effects of their ritual and, in that time, the Holy Knight of Thunder began to sense his own energy growing stronger, as well as noticing the elements around them reacting to his emotions, the most popular of reactions being flickering flames, slowly increasing winds or an ominous rumble of thunder.

Hermione, on the other hand, not only used the two days to research the elemental powers of water, but also began to explore her more passive abilities: as she discovered, she _really_ could breathe underwater and even use the bottom of their villa pool to meditate or concentrate: it was almost like, whenever she was in the water, Hermione's senses and magical focus became a lot more pin-pointed and she could concentrate on her tasks with greater ease.

At the end of the second day, Harry asked for the Order to come into the main lounge of their villa, Hermione at his side, Dan and Emma seated with the warriors as he addressed them. "First off, I would like to thank you for handling my affairs during the Restoration Period; from what Dan and Emma tell me, you handled yourselves well."

"We will always strive to deliver 110% in everything we do to serve you Harry," Sebastian told him, his eyes slightly darkened by the revelations made during his Lord's rest period.

"Accepted," Harry nodded, before he linked his arm with Hermione and continued, "Second, I want you all to know that the ritual was indeed a complete success and, within the next few weeks, both Hermione and I will be looking into ways to use our newfound bond to our advantage. When we return to Hogwarts, the two of us will continue these private studies with my focus being more on the elemental side of me and not the side that is the Holy Knight of Thunder."

"Am I correct in assuming a bond has formed between you and Hermione?" asked Tyler, looking to his lord with a renewed sense of respect.

"You are," Hermione took over, "Harry and I can now speak within each other's minds and, as long as we are together, then we are protected by the other's magic. Although I am merely an Anointed to Harry's rank of Pure Holy Knight, our powers almost even each other out and our bond has never been stronger."

"So what is it that you wish of us?" asked Elora, watching as Harry moved to a chair where Padfoot was sat on his haunches, the shaggy dog whining with contentment as Harry ran his hand across his fur.

"First and foremost," Harry explained, "I would like you, Elora, to meet Sebastian, Hermione and I outside the Magical Training Area tomorrow morning for a little sparring session that will hone our reflexes. You need only your wand and nothing else; while the four of us are tending to this session, I would like the rest of you to act as though you _are_ on holiday. Go into Les Terres Magiques and enjoy yourselves; take a trip into Paris if you want to, but don't act so stoic all the time. Now, not only that, but I want you all to know how grateful I am for your assistance in helping me accept this newfound responsibility of mine and, although I am returning to Hogwarts, I would be honoured if you, my Order of Pendragon, would join me as my personal guard."

"We would be honoured, my lord Harry," Sebastian remarked, inclining his head as he explained, "For a while there, we of the Order were wondering what you were going to do about your return."

"Good," Harry smiled, "Then, with that last remark, I think it's safe to say that we can all get on with whatever we were doing; oh, but Dante?"

"Yes my lord?" asked the young warrior.

"I would like you to come and meet me in the Physical Training Area the day after tomorrow so that I can run through some sparring drills with Excalibur."

"As you wish my lord," Dante replied, inclining his head to his lord as they all left the lounge, Harry, Hermione, Dan and Emma remaining behind for a while. Looking to his family, as he had recently begun to accept them as such, Harry then smiled before he shook his head, his eyes on the door where the warriors had left them alone.

"I wonder if they'll ever accept my rule about using my name," he wondered aloud, watching as Hermione seemed to be content with curling up in his lap, Padfoot now lying down at his master's feet.

"Give them time Harry," Dan suggested, "They've been raised and bred to act as servants: changing their nature isn't going to happen overnight: anyway, Emma and I have some news of our own."

"What's that?" asked Harry, looking to his guardian.

"When you and Hermione were resting," Emma told him, "We went with Felicia and Tyler into the Mystic Lands and were able to get our hands on some finery and custom-made robes so that we would avoid any more encounters like what happened in customs."

"All right," Harry grinned, "Did the warriors get the crest we needed?"

"They did," Dan explained, "And the crests were in the same place as Mr Weasley: we know that Hermione's will be at her left shoulder just like yours is on the right, but I just want you to know that, for the first time since I met you Harry, I actually understand the effort you've made for our sake. Thanks son."

With a yawn, Harry stood up, walked over to Dan, lowered himself down and whispered three words in the man's ear, a look of shock and pure delight appearing on Dan's face as the Holy Knight then led his girlfriend out of the living room and off up to their bedroom.

Back in the lounge, Emma asked, "What did he say?"

Looking to his wife, Dan smiled as he replied, "No problem Dad."

Emma had tears in her eyes as she looked to where Harry and Hermione had left the room, her voice almost failing her as she asked, "Dan…do you think…he's…"

"He's himself again," Dan nodded, "We were the ones to write the address in his card and now, between you and me dear, I think he's finally accepting his place as a member of our family."

Emma nodded in agreement with her husband, her eyes still filled with tears as to the maturity and calm demeanour of the smart, influential young man that, officially, she could now think of as the son she always wanted.

_**HPHG**_

'_Why did you do that Harry?_' Hermione asked through the bond, her lithe form curled up on their bed while Harry was busy in the bathroom. '_You know how Mum will react when he tells her._'

'_Hermione,_' Harry replied, the Holy Knight of Ocean picking up a strong feeling of praise and finality from her boyfriend. '_Dan and Emma have wanted to hear those words leave my lips for a while now: why do you think they wrote son in my card or even bothered to accept me so easily? Besides,_' his train of thoughts came to an end as he emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a set of pyjama trousers, exposing his athletically-changed frame.

As he curled up in his bed with the girl of his dreams, Harry spoke his thoughts out loud, "If I can do one thing to make Emma smile, it's starting to think of her as my Mum: if my real Mum was alive and she saw me now, she'd probably say the same thing."

"I guess so," Hermione sighed, allowing herself to be consumed by her boyfriend's embrace, "I guess I was just worried about how they'd take it."

"Well," laughed Harry, "Judging by the fact that they're not trying to break down our door, I'd say that they're taking it pretty well: if you want me to continue calling them Dan and Emma 'Mione, then all you have to do is say so."

"No," Hermione smiled, taking her favourite place on her boyfriend's chest, "I'd say that what you did was exactly the right thing to do: I love you Harry Potter."

"And I love you too Mione," Harry remarked, placing a soft kiss on her forehead as the woven blankets of sleep began to cover them, drawing them into the land of dreams and desires.

_**HPHG**_

The next morning, after Hermione had taken a refreshing swim and Harry had run a few laps in the Physical Training Area, both Holy Knights met their new mentors outside the Magical Training Area, Sebastian and Elora looking like they had their game faces on, the leader of the Order looking simply to avenge his former loss while keeping it formal, but competitive.

"Now," Sebastian explained, "Since you won the last round Lord Harry, your allotted time for exploration will now be five minutes and, this time, we work through a process of elimination: given that the last match was to a score of fifteen, this one will be a straight 7-shot lifeline; once you've been hit seven times, the door will open and you must leave until the end of the match."

"Agreed," Harry nodded, glad that he had already explained to Hermione over the two days what they were planning: at first, the idea of a magical paintball match with the Order had sounded intimidating to the Holy Knight of Ocean, but, when Harry had explained about the mirror maze twist, Hermione understood how this was training.

Unfortunately, the Knights had an advantage over the Order and, even if Sebastian said otherwise, they would still be able to use it: their advantage was their telepathic bond and, given that this was now a Team Death-Match, the need for Harry and Hermione to work as a team would allow them to roam throughout the maze at will.

"Now," Elora continued, "I have already tested my paintball spell and it came out blue; what about yours Hermione?"

"Gold," Hermione answered, "As in the colour of Godric Gryffindor's Crest, the same crest that is worn by Harry."

"So it's almost like Gryffindor and Slytherin are teaming up for the first time in nearly 500 years," Harry remarked, earning a laugh from Sebastian and Elora as he turned back to them. "Now remember; no aiming for the eyes or head; only chest area, arms, legs and feet; also, in light of the previous match, I think it only fair that we each get one chance to launch the Paint Barrage Jinx that I used on Sebastian at the end of our match, agreed?"

"Agreed," the others chorused, Sebastian almost glaring at Harry as he recalled that moment, the leader of the Order picking up the conversation, "As a rule, we will only fire the Paint Barrage Jinx if the caster is at six lives lost: think of it as a last stand spell."

"Agreed," Harry remarked, before he stepped past Sebastian, Hermione joining him, before the two of them entered the mirror maze, their five minute explorations beginning. However, as they walked through the maze, Harry recalling every open area and trick corner, he mistimed one of his steps and nearly went plunging into a pit at their feet. Only Hermione's quick hands and the lightning-quick reflexes of the Pure Knight saved him; when they pulled back, Harry saw that their path had indeed been changed; now there weren't just trick mirrors, but panels in the floors that could only be accessed by gangplanks and narrow crossing points.

"Something you forgot to mention Sebastian?" called Harry, his face reddening as he heard a laugh from the Order; truly this was to be a test of survival; as he pulled back again, Harry turned to Hermione. "If I heard right, there seems to be some kind of watery substance at the base of the pit; if need be, cheat!"

"Harry," Hermione remarked, "How could I live with myself if I cheated?"

"Just imagine it's Ron," Harry suggested.

"That'll work," Hermione laughed as the familiar lion's roar resounded through the maze, Harry giving her a quick kiss on the lips as he set off at a faster pace, his eyes and ears doing the work for his other senses.

For hours, the four combatants circled and doubled back on one another, Harry narrowly avoiding the trick platforms and hidden attacks from the Order; by the time three hours had elapsed, Harry counted off five cracks of thunder and six howling winds, but, since he had not heard the expected splatters of the Paint Barrage Jinx, he knew that Hermione was still safe. Looking to his own robes, Harry counted two of the shots from him, which meant Hermione was down by three.

Stepping through another open mirror, Harry stopped dead: all around him was…himself: his reflection stared back at him like a thousand Harrys looking at one another, the many different mirrors around him reflecting onto one another, earning Harry a strong, pounding headache that made him feel confused and angry; he couldn't even tell where the one fake mirror was anymore.

With a growl, he closed his eyes and allowed his rage to flow into his energy, calling on the magic within himself, his own advice coming back to him as he began to prepare to use magic. The Power Dampening Ward may be in effect, but that was simply against wandless magic and, if Harry concentrated enough then…

Opening his eyes, the Knight of Thunder smiled as he saw sparks of silver dancing across his fingertips, each of the sparks no larger than a 20p piece, but large enough to cause enough damage: all he had to do was push enough magic into it.

As he was channelling the energy, Harry heard two more howls of the wind and another crack of thunder, before he looked down at his hands, the lightning in his fingertips now growing as if it sensed his concern for the Lady Knight; now was the time.

Pushing outwards, Harry sent a powerful bolt of silver lightning flying from his fingertips, the forked elemental shape crashing into the mirror and shattering it into a thousand pieces; as the mirror fell, Harry saw Sebastian on the other side, covered in six balls of paint; the Order leader raised his wand, a sly smile on his face, but Harry, with an equally perceptive grin, whispered, "Nice try."

Spinning round, he cried out, "_Orbis pigmento!_"

There was a curse, a howl of the wind and the seventh silvery shot was fired on Sebastian, who had actually hoped that he would see his lord use his newfound powers to aid in his hunt; it was the whole reason he had crafted the trap mirrors in the first place.

But, once again, the master had been outfoxed by the apprentice: Sebastian McDale had been eliminated and now, as he rushed past the leader, Harry shook his head almost pitifully as he called out, "Better luck next time Sebastian: should have fired at me when you had the chance."

'I know,' thought the Order member, a smile of admission on his face, 'Well done my lord: you have finally found the element within.'

As the match continued, the next to be eliminated was Hermione, but not before Harry heard a sound like a tidal wave washing throughout the passageways, drowning the damages that had been done on all sides, Hermione speaking to Harry in her mind, '_I take back everything I said about cheating my love; it wasn't necessary, but it was fun._'

'_Such is the fun of being my girlfriend,_' Harry laughed, following the sound of the water as he added, '_Dad would skin me alive if he found out about this._'

'_Such is the fun of being on holiday,_' Hermione retorted, Harry hearing the sound of the door opening, '_The only time that you can act like a big kid and get away with it._'

'_I didn't mean that,_' Harry remarked, '_I meant that he'd tell me I was a bad influence on you._'

'_He'd better get used to it,_' Hermione insisted, '_I wouldn't trade you, your heart, your Slytherin attitude or your chaos-inducing influence for the world; oh, and duck._'

Harry did, then wheeled around, crying out the spell as Elora cursed once, her body now marked by silver ball markings, her face set in a smile of admitted defeat.

"Game, set and match Harry," she smiled, shaking his hand, "You truly are the champion."

"Tell me that after next week," Harry sighed, escorting her to the doorway; however, as they left the Magical Training Area, Harry met a sight that made his eyes darken, his breath leaving his body in ragged hissing motions as he added, "On second thoughts, scratch that."

Elora looked from her Lord to the door of their rented villa, Sebastian, Dante, Tyler and Felicia moving to his side as Hermione took his arm, her eyes on the newcomer with a sense of curiosity and fear. "Harry," she whispered, "What's he doing here?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, before he snapped his fingers once, giving the Order a signal for them to step aside so that he could talk with their visitor; stepping through his entourage, he asked, "Can I help you with something…Headmaster?"

"Yes Harry," Professor Dumbledore replied, his voice as grandfatherly as ever, though now it seemed almost devoid of its friendly tone, "You can invite me in: you're in terrible danger."

_**HPHG**_

"Boss? BOSS?"

Amelia Bones looked up from her desk as the voice of her newest Auror sounded through the department, a familiar head of lightened hair appearing over the heads of her other co-workers, before a young woman with a slim, well-defined face appeared, a pair of deep blue eyes staring out from under a head of what could only be described as _pink_ hair. She was dressed in a set of black and blue robes that not only held the traditional Ministry crest but, with special permission from Amelia's key client, the woman also wore the Potter Family Crest on her forearm, showing her to be in the service of the House.

"What is it Tonks?" asked Amelia, noticing the look of fear and panic in the eyes of her subordinate/assistant to Lord Potter.

"It's Harry boss," Tonks replied; her real name was Nymphadora, but no-one who had plans for family dared to call her that name. "We just got word from a weird little elf that he has a rather _unwelcome_ visitor to his holiday villa."

"Harry?" asked Amelia, standing up as she heard the name, "Then that makes the unwelcome visitor…"

"Dumbledore," Tonks nodded, "How did he know where to find Harry?"

"I'll find that out," Amelia replied, throwing down the paperwork she had been dealing with, "Has he been invited in yet?"

"Not yet," Tonks replied, her hair changing colour from pink to a dark, almost messy brown style, "Harry must understand he's there for the wrong reasons."

"I agree," Amelia nodded, placing her wand against her vassal's crest, "Good thing I had the foresight to charm this into a Portkey that locks onto Harry: stay here, but make sure that the French Ministry know of my arrival; I may need some backup on this one; oh, and see if you can get a hold of Ragnok at Gringotts Bank: tell him it concerns Lord Potter; I'll be back."

With that, Amelia pressed her wand into the heart of the phoenix on her crest, before she declared, "Activate!"

_**HPHG**_

"You have no business here Headmaster," Harry remarked, standing firmly between his warriors, "This is my holiday and I must insist that you leave at once: I told you once before that you have no business poking your nose in during the holidays."

"But Harry," Dumbledore remarked, "You _need_ to let me in: you are in terrible danger and only the information I can provide can help you."

Harry actually scoffed as his advanced magical senses detected the attempted wandless compulsions, the old man's eyes slowly regaining that damned twinkle; at the same time, Harry felt a light presence brushing over his mind, but, before it could get deeper, there was an ominous rumble of thunder and a bolt of lightning struck the area right next to Dumbledore, Harry's eyes glowing with raw magic.

Behind him, he heard Hermione ask, "How does he keep doing that?"

"It's a basic defence for the Holy Knight of Thunder," answered Dante, "When his mind, magic or physical presence is threatened, his elemental nature takes over and a bolt of lightning strikes the ground; it's slightly similar to what happened on his birthday to Mr Weasley, except that was a transportation, whereas this one is but a warning."

"And I suggest you take it Dumbledore," Harry remarked, "I don't want anything to do with you until September First: so whatever _grave danger_ I may be in will have to wait until I return to school."

"Even if it means having to confront the one who betrayed your parents to Voldemort?"

Another bolt of lightning struck the ground, but this time, it came with an icy edge to Harry's voice that had Hermione frightened as the Holy Knight asked, "What?"

"Lord Potter!"

The sound of Amelia's voice had Harry look to the rear entrance, his voice raised as he called, "Over here!"

Amelia rushed into the main hall, saw Dumbledore, and that was pretty much it. "Albus? What the bloody hell do you think you are doing interfering with the livelihood of a Lord like this?"

"Ah Amelia," Albus grinned, Harry noticing the twinkle returning to his eyes, "Can you kindly explain to Harry about the recent Azkaban outbreak?"

"WHAT?" Amelia shrieked, "That's why you're here? Because of _that_ is the reason that you choose to approach Lord Potter? While I will agree that he does deserve to know, it wasn't so desperate for him to know that you had to interfere. Now leave here at once or I shall be forced to hand you over to the French Ministry immediately…unless you want some _other_ charges to be brought into the open."

Harry, watching the verbal tennis match that was going on here, asked as calmly as he could, "Could somebody please explain what the esteemed Headmaster is talking about?"

"I will Harry," Dumbledore answered, "All you have to do is invite me in."

"No," Harry answered, his eyes now steely cold as he added, "Get out and leave me alone: and, if I find out that a certain red-headed family had anything to do with this, then rest assured that you will be missing a few Gryffindors come September! Whatever _grave danger_ I may be in can wait, but it will be me that meets it and not at your request."

"In other words Headmaster Dumbledore," Sebastian spoke up, now shielding his lord from the danger that was standing in front of him, "Leave and never bother Harry again: he is perfectly safe and there is nothing you can say against that."

Dumbledore looked from Sebastian to Harry and then to the Order, noticing Hermione and Amelia stood together as well; for a second, he thought about using Hermione's parents to get Harry back into his clutches, but that idea was removed when Harry moved back and linked hands with Hermione, a powerful silvery glow enveloping them and their cohorts.

With no other choice, Dumbledore inclined his head, "See you in September then."

He left, allowing Harry to turn to Amelia, a smile and a glare in his eyes as he asked, "Now, does someone want to tell me what the bloody hell that was all about?"

"I will," Amelia replied, "And, though I hate to ask it Harry, I think it would be beneficial if you cut your holiday short and return home: I will have Aurors protecting you and shall also speak to Ragnok about this; as your Vassal, you have my word."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry nodded, heaving a sigh as he felt his energy levels weakening from the instinctive magic he had performed; with a side-long glance to Sebastian, Harry added, "Have what protections you think best Amelia, but I know that my Order of Pendragon will protect me."

When Amelia nodded in reply, she left the hall and went to speak with Dan and Emma, leaving Harry to turn to Hermione, a guilty look in his eyes as he sighed and exclaimed, "He just never gives up, does he?"

"You know what they say Harry," Hermione reasoned, "United we stand; divided we fall."

"Mum and Dad are going to love this aren't they?"

Hermione looked over her boyfriend's shoulder, before she smiled and added, "I get the feeling that they won't mind it at all."

"Why do you say…"

His words were cut off when he felt Emma's familiar embrace wrap around him, a dampness running down his robe as she held him close, Dan standing tall and proud next to his wife as he looked to Harry.

"Did you say what I think you said son?"

Harry, realising what he had said, just smiled and nodded, "I did Dad; I'm sorry Mum."

"Don't be sorry Harry," Emma informed him, "We don't mind this if it means keeping you and Hermione safe from Dumbledore's reach; I'm just happy that you can finally call me…"

"Mum," Harry smiled, "Well, you _did_ call me son."

_**HPHG**_

Safely back in England, or at least as safe as could be considered, Harry and Hermione returned their attention to their meditations as well as spending the odd day exploring their bond and their new powers. Harry's revelation that he could finally cast lightning at will was impressive, but, add to the fact that his magical spikes were centred around the flash of lightning just made him feel that much more unique.

Amelia had set them up in a private apartment in Diagon Alley that, when Harry had first seen it, hadn't been surprised to learn that the building was leased by Gringotts and, given the importance of Harry's role as Holy Knight, Ragnok made sure that they were alone and that there were several other occupants who were really undercover Aurors, goblin guards and, of course, the Order.

Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava.

After breakfast Harry would go out into the backyard, take out his wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.

Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly colored umbrellas outside cafes, where his fellow diners were showing one another their purchases or else discussing the case of Sirius Black, which, for Harry, had become a sore subject ever since Amelia had told him the truth on their first night.

_Flashback_

_Seated in the main room of his apartment, Harry turned to Amelia as he asked, "So, what was Dumbledore talking about when he mentioned my parents being betrayed and what does this have to do with Azkaban?"_

_With an almost guilt-ridden gulp, Amelia answered him, "I should have told you this before Harry, but I was afraid as to how you would take the news: not long after you finished at Hogwarts, there was a breakout at the wizard's prison, Azkaban: the name of the escapee is Sirius Black, who is – or rather was – a friend of your Father's. Now, before I continue, I want you to promise me that you won't let this corrupt your judgment."_

"_I promise," Harry remarked, his eyes cold as he asked, "Why?"_

"_Because," Amelia replied, "When your parents went into hiding, very few people knew where they were hidden; one who did was Sirius Black and, according to eyewitness reports, he told You-Know-Who."_

"_Voldemort," Harry remarked, earning the expectant flinch from Amelia, "Don't be afraid to say the name Amelia: I wouldn't expect that from you."_

"_I'm sorry Harry," she replied, "Bad memories: anyway, the thing is this: your parents trusted Sirius to the point that they…well…they gave him a really powerful responsibility."_

"_Which was what?" asked Harry, the light in the room dimming as his emotions began to reach the surface._

"_Your godfather," Amelia answered, "Sirius Black loved and respected the Potters so much that, to hear he betrayed them makes most of us wonder if he did love them."_

"_And what?" asked Harry, "Are you saying that he's escaped to finish the job?"_

"_That's what people say," Amelia told him, noticing how this was affecting his emotions. Looking around, Amelia lowered her voice to a mere whisper as she added, "Between you and me though Harry; I don't think he did betray them: in fact, I think he was set up somehow and, if he has escaped, then the last thing he wants to do is hurt you. I only tell you this so that you won't go looking for Black: you see, there's more to the story, but I don't think you're ready to hear it: just promise me Harry that you won't go looking for Black."_

"_What am I? Suicidal?" asked Harry, his tone indicating how angry he was, "Why would I go looking for someone who wants to kill me?"_

_Flashback End_

Once Harry had refilled his money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts from his vault at Gringotts, he had to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts to stop himself from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirt a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lose a point). He was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson.

Even though he knew of the fortunes that he possessed as a Holy Knight, he didn't really want to waste money on trivial things either: he had a feeling that if he did that, then Hermione would scold him for acting like his former self, but the thing that tested Harry's resolution most appeared in his formerly-favourite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after he'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.

Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry edged his way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until he glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom he had ever seen in his life.

"Just come out - prototype -" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"

A large witch in front of Harry moved, and he was able to read the sign next to the broom:

_THE FIREBOLT_

_THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATE__S AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM._

_PRICE ON REQUEST._

Price on request...Harry didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. He had never wanted anything as much in his whole life - but he had never lost a Quidditch match on his Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying his Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when he had a very good broom already? Harry didn't ask for the price, but he returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt.

There were, however, things that Harry needed to buy. He went to the Apothecary to replenish his store of potions ingredients, and as his school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, he had to buy his new schoolbooks, which would include those for his three new subjects, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Advanced Charms.

Harry got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. Now Harry understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. He felt relieved; he had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet.

As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward him.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Harry, "I need -"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning -"

A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility - cost a fortune, and we never found them...Well...is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes," replied Harry, "I need the _Beginners Guide to Spell Crafting by AP Walker_ and the _Apprentice's Dictionary of Runes by M.E. Price_."

"Ah, an Ancient Runes student I see," the assistant smiled as Harry then asked for the Master's Guide to Enchantments and, as he was about to ask for a copy of Advanced Charms Level 1, he recalled the book he'd been sent by Minerva and decided against it: after all, he would receive each one as it came along, so there was no real need for it.

"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "_Master's Guide to Enchantments:_ the perfect companion for the budding Charms Master."

But Harry wasn't listening. His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: _Death Omens - What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming. _

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

But Harry continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar...

The manager pressed each of the requested books into Harry's hands.

"Anything else?" he said.

"Yes," said Harry, tearing his eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting his booklist. "Er - I need Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."

Harry emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with his new books under his arms and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where he was going and bumping into several people when it suddenly hit him.

'That dog,' he thought, his eyes on the street, though his mind was elsewhere, 'It looks a lot like Padfoot.'

'_Harry?_'

The sound of Hermione's voice had Harry looking up, his eyes on the apartment building as he asked, '_Yeah?_'

'_Are you all right?_'

'_Fine: what's wrong?_'

Hermione's answer was laced with venom as she answered, '_Guess who's back from Egypt?_'

'_I'm on my way,_' Harry remarked, making his way to the apartment as he hoped that nothing was going to happen, his thoughts about Padfoot's mystery now cast aside for his duty to Hermione.

_**Chapter 8 and it seems that Harry is about to find out if someone can change in such short a time or whether we're looking at target practice: what will the outcome be?**_

_**Also, where does Dumbledore get off thinking he rules Harry's life when Harry told him swiftly that he didn't want his help? Can Harry find some way to teach the old fool a lesson?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out;**_

_**Next Chapter: The Holy Knights hear from some old and new friends and Harry speaks with Neville about becoming an Anointed, but Neville has an offer of his own; plus, Hermione gets a new pet and Harry is slightly suspicious of his canine companion; also, the return to Hogwarts doesn't go as smoothly as Harry had hoped, but a new friend saves the day;**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, **__**PLEASE stop trying to guess who the other Pure Knight will be; ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN THE SUMMER FOLLOWING 3**__**RD**__** YEAR!**_


	9. Swords and Surprises

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

_**Review Answers for Ch **__**8:**_

_**208 reviews and still rising: I am thankful to all who enjoy reading this story and wish to thank you all for continuing to enjoy all my new stories;**_

_**DarkHeart81: I have plans for the AC Course, so please be patient as it will all be explained; as a little taster, I'll say this: it's more about the inner magic than actual Charm-Casting;**_

_**Zamia: A politician? Let me think: lies through his teeth, decides to keep the truth to himself until the right moment and thinks he can do what he wants, when he wants: yep, sounds like one to me;**_

_**StormyFireDragon: No they won't, but that's the real beauty of it all; their lack of learning makes it so much fun to write more about them getting their just desserts;**_

_**MariusDarkwolf: I enjoyed writing the mirror maze scene; also, I want to thank you for being one of the first to review my newer stories;**_

_**Ladysavay: all I'm going to say in reply to that is this: if it's so easy for a FFN writer to do it, then why DIDN'T JK do it?**_

_**JBird7986: Their bond is slightly weaker at the moment, but, eventually, Harry and Hermione will be bound through power as well as mind and magic;**_

_**Aealket: Will they ever learn? I don't think so; I decided that Sirius needed someone on his side who had faith in his loyalty to Harry: I mean, JK wrote it so that even Remus suspected Sirius; no-one believed he was innocent; the whole invitational thing is more based around the wards placed on a magical property, especially one where a Holy Knight is living, but it's a nice comparison; Luna will return soon as she plays a rather big part in Harry's adventures through the POA and GOF sections;**_

_Hermione's answer was laced with venom as she answered, 'Guess who's back from Egypt?'_

'_I'm on my way,' Harry remarked, making his way to the apartment as he hoped that nothing was going to happen, his thoughts about Padfoot's mystery now cast aside for his duty to Hermione._

Chapter 9: Swords and Surprises

Making his way up to the apartment, Harry knocked twice on the door, and then whistled twice, before the door opened and Hermione took him into her arms, her body shaking as she held onto him. The twice-used knock and whistle method was something they had designed to recognise each other; only those of the Order, Dan, Emma or Amelia really needed to use it as Hermione would be able to tell her Harry from an impostor due to their bond and vice versa.

"Where is he Mione?" asked Harry, holding onto his girlfriend as she seemed a little more nervous than before.

"The…the Leaky Cauldron," Hermione replied, before she turned and gestured to a parchment lying on the table in the main room; walking through to the room, Harry picked up the parchment and, almost immediately, he saw why Hermione was so scared:

_Lord Potter,_

_I, Ronald Bilius Weasley have had time to think about what we discussed when last we saw one another and, if you can spare me a moment of your busy time, I will freely and willingly apologise to your…girlfriend, Hermione Jane Granger and ask for her forgiveness._

_I hope that our past faults do not spoil the bountiful relationship that we have forged over the past two years and that, despite your being a Holy Knight, we can still be considered brothers-in-arms;_

_If you consent to this arrangement, I would be honoured to meet with you in the Leaky Cauldron on August 24__th__ for a meeting between you and I;_

_Hoping you are well,_

_Master R.B. Weasley_

Harry held the letter in his hand, Hermione with her arms around him as he read and re-read the letter, his hand shaking with each reading: however, when Hermione looked up, she saw that he wasn't angry or near tears for some unknown reason: no, he was, in actual fact…_laughing!_ His eyes were filled with a sense of disbelief and, as Hermione sought him out through the bond, she only felt a sense of amusement and incredulous bewilderment rather than a sense of forgiveness.

'_What's so funny love?_' asked Hermione, calming her boyfriend as she led him into the living room of their apartment, Harry now scrunching the letter up in one hand as he sat down, still laughing.

'_Oh,_' he chuckled, even his mental voice sounded amused, '_Sorry Hermione, but if Ronald Weasley wrote that, then Draco Malfoy is really a fan of Muggles and Gryffindors._'

'_What do you mean?_' asked Hermione, looking back to the letter, '_He signed it and…_'

'_And since when do we know that Dead Man Walking to write with such a fanciful tone or language?_' asked Harry, now holding his girlfriend in his arms, '_You've been the one to look over enough of his homework to know that he's no scholar: if I had to guess, I'd bet the Bighead Boy Percival wrote this and Mummy dearest had Ron say he wrote it._'

'_I see what you mean,_' Hermione replied, before she looked back at Harry and asked, '_But why would Molly want Ron to think…_'

'_Because she doesn't get it,_' Harry replied, now resigning himself to stroking Hermione's soft dark hair, his face losing its amusement, his silver eye almost glowing as he explained, '_She still wishes to believe that Ginny and I have a future: you saw what happened in Dumbledore's office; hell, if I went there, then I'd have her probably biting my ear off about insulting a GREAT MAN like Dumbledork. Heaven forbid if she tries to hug me or drag me away from you, Mum and Dad; which is why…_' he then stood up, brushed down his robe and, turning to Hermione, he held out his hand, which she gladly accepted.

"I'm going to accept their summons," He explained, "But I won't be going alone: I'll have the Order escort me and see if I speak with Tonks about watching from afar."

"What about Mum and Dad?" asked Hermione, "You know that they'll want to be there."

"And they will be," Harry told her, "Besides, we both know that the Weasleys can't really harm me anyway: as my vassal house, their fate is in my hands and so, with the exception of the Dead Man, none of them can do anything without damaging their family's future and I think that insulting, or Merlin forbid, _harming_ my guardians would count towards damaging their future."

"I guess you're right," Hermione agreed, watching as Harry seemed to straighten his robes, before he made sure that his eyes were clear enough for the Weasleys to understand his meaning and, reaching into his pocket, Harry clasped hold of his Holy Knight's identification, just in case of any danger.

"Show time," he remarked, noticing Hermione slipping her Holy Knight ID into her pocket as he shook his head, "Don't worry Hermione: I'll make sure nothing happens."

When she was about to ask what he meant by that remark, Hermione caught sight of the weapon hanging from his waist and, with a nod of understanding, she smiled and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

"I trust you Harry," she whispered, "It's _him_ I'm worried about."

_**HPHG**_

Harry, arriving in the pub not half-an-hour later, flanked by Sebastian and Elora, Hermione, Dan and Emma with them, looked around once before he walked over to the bar and, in as much of a friendly voice as he could muster, asked, "Pardon me Tom, could you tell me where I might find the Weasleys?"

"Of course Lord Potter," Tom replied, seeing the golden-coloured crest on Harry's shoulder, "Last I saw them, they were all up in rooms 9, 10 and 11: shall I inform them of your arrival?"

"No thank you," Harry replied, before he pulled out his ID and added, "As Holy Knight of Thunder, I would like to offer a full repayment for any damages that may be suffered as a result of this meeting: I would also appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else I was here."

"Oh," Tom gasped, seeing the age-old ID, "Of…of course my Lord: have a nice day."

"Thank you," Harry replied, walking up the stairs towards the rooms, his eyes catching sight of one of the patrons giving him a warm, but wary look: Tonks was already here and, as Harry turned his head slightly, he smirked at her and nodded, using his left hand to tug at his collar, as if assuring her that things were going to be all right.

When they reached the upstairs landing, Emma finally asked, "Harry, how did you know…"

"Tonks is a Metamorphmagus," Harry answered, "She can change her appearance to suit any look she chooses: it's why Amelia volunteered her as the assistant to the Vassal; her skills make her the perfect eyes and ears of the group. Now, I hope I can rely on you all not to do anything unless I strike first, okay?"

"As long as they don't try and upset my daughter," Dan explained, stepping up next to his ward, "Then I have no problems son."

"Dad," Harry reassured him, before he lifted his hand to his waist and removed Excalibur from its sheath, "If they dare to try anything, the only one who'll do anything is me. I won't let them get anywhere near Hermione and, if I have to injure them to get the message across, then so be it."

Stopping outside room eleven, Harry then turned to Sebastian as he added, "You and Elora wait out here: any trouble and you will let me know: if I call you, then come in."

"Yes Harry," Sebastian replied, knowing full well that Harry probably wouldn't need any help with Excalibur in his hands, but he was a Warrior of Pendragon and he was honour-bound to obey.

Reaching out with his hand, Harry calmly knocked on the door and waited for a reply; when none came, he gently tapped Excalibur's tip against the door, the blade suddenly humming with magic as it seemed to try and warn Harry of something. Pulling both his hand and weapon back, Harry smirked before he asked, "Elora, would you mind touching the door handle and then tell me what you feel?"

Obeying her lord's instruction, Elora extended her hand and, no sooner had she touched the door handle, than a warm glow began to spread up her hand, her eyes glazing over as she whispered, "We need to trust the Weasleys: what they choose to do is for the Greater Good; as long as you have your friends, Harry, you can't be attacked and Professor Dumbledore will do his best to…"

"_Finite Maxima!_" Harry commanded, his wand in his hand as soon as Elora had started speaking, a beam of silver light striking the door as Harry then pushed out with the power of the wind and unlocked the door, opening the entrance and, turning to Elora, asked, "Feel better?"

"I apologise for what I said," Elora replied, bowing to Harry, "I could not control myself."

"We're dealing with a professional here," Harry reminded her, before he retracted the winds around them and opened the door, noticing almost immediately that the Weasleys were all sat there, Ron looking close to triumphant while Ginny, Fred and George looked scared. Stepping into the room, Harry closed the door with the tip of his sword, before he turned and, taking a deep breath, asked, "So Ron, where's that apology?"

"What?" laughed Ron, "Don't you want to hear about my summer holiday or ask about what's going on with Sirius Black?"

"You mean my godfather who allegedly betrayed my parents to Voldemort and went to Azkaban for it?" asked Harry, his eyes narrowed as he added, "Not really no."

Ron's eyes widened with shock at Harry's information, as well as how calm he was speaking, before the Holy Knight of Thunder asked, "Now, where's that apology and who's bright idea was it to lace your door with a compulsion charm that you should have known was something I could fight off?"

"You did what?" asked Arthur, now stepping up next to Harry, "My Lord Harry, are you sure?"

"Perfectly sure," Harry replied, "If it wasn't for my defending guard checking the door, I would have been forced into a one-way trust with your family and been forced back to Dumbledore."

"Now Harry dear," Mrs Weasley piped up, "We heard all about how you received Professor…"

"Silence _bitch!_" Harry snapped, his silver eye glowing with raw energy as he added, "I only want to hear the words of Lord Weasley, my ally and confidant to House Potter: now, Arthur, who told Dumbledore where I was staying?"

"Whatever do you mean my Lord?" asked Arthur, slightly intimidated by Harry's new heterochromic eye-colours.

"Albus Dumbledore," Harry explained, "Turned up on the doorstep of my villa not ten days ago and I want to know which one of you told him of my location. Now, the reason I suspect you had a hand in this is because of the fact that only those who were present at my party knew where I was going and so, minus my good friend and future Trio member, Neville Longbottom and the mysterious girl Luna Lovegood, the only one that Dumbledore would go after would be you. So, Arthur, as Lord of your Family's service House, I ask you, I order you to tell me who it was that revealed my location?"

"I did," Mrs Weasley gasped out, her face pale with shock as she looked to Harry, slightly disgraced as to her being called a bitch. "Harry, Sirius Black is a dangerous man and you need to…"

"I don't need to do anything," Harry explained, looking to Mrs Weasley, "You, on the other hand, need to be more careful as to what you decide to tell that senile old fool: until such a time as you learn that lesson, I, Lord Potter, hereby remove you from the vassal and protections of my family and forbid you from spending any of my familial allowance on anything except your children's' educational needs!"

Molly felt like screaming as the Crest of House Potter was removed from her robe, while Ginny, Fred and George remained untouched; walking over to them, Harry then added, "You three did well in keeping quiet: I am proud to see my family's inventors and warrior know where their loyalties lie: now," he rounded on Ron, Excalibur leaping into his hand as he held it out before him, "Are you going to apologise or not?"

"Not," Ron scowled, using his mouth before his brain – as usual.

"Very well," Harry swung Excalibur over his head, sheathing the sword as he added, "For now, and so as to avoid any trouble before September First, I, Lord Potter, wish to offer Fred, George, Ginny and Arthur Weasley protection in some apartments that I currently posses. Only," he added, as Ron opened his mouth to argue, almost as if were going to ask _what about me?_ "Only when you decide to apologise will I reconsider what level of trust you posses in my eyes Ronald; for now, I think I owe Ginny a birthday present and I'd like to speak to Fred and George about a little business proposition."

"As you wish Harry," the three replied, before Harry turned, seemed to scrape his shoes across the rug where Ron was standing and, with a sneer, left the room, the four invited Weasleys in tow.

What he _didn't_ see however was the look of pure vengeance and greed springing up on Ron's face and he was making a plan as to get that sword away from Harry and then, with a little outside help, he could have Hermione in his bed within the year.

The poor, sick-minded, delusional, Dead Man Walking bastard…

_**HPHG**_

"So what would you like?" asked Harry, walking down Diagon Alley with Ginny; Hermione on his right and Sebastian escorting them in case of trouble, "You can ask for anything you need or want."

"I'd like my own wand," Ginny remarked, earning a look of agreement from Harry as if he had expected her to ask for that. "I mean, if you think it'll be too much then…"

"Ginny," Harry sighed, "You owe me your life and I am Lord of your Family's Protectors: I don't mind spending a bit of money on those who need it: in fact, I also think you could use some new robes and maybe even an owl of your own."

"I can't," Ginny began, but stopped when she saw Harry's sly smile, "You didn't…"

"I only said I thought you could use an owl," Harry explained, "If you want, you can borrow Hedwig at any time; I mean, if I bought your friendship Ginny, then who would that make me seem like? Malfoy!"

Ginny chuckled at the mention of Harry's hated rival, before she looked up into his eyes and, with a smile, added, "Harry, what happened with your eyes?"

"It's not just me Ginny," Harry replied, gesturing to Hermione, "My Hermione also has a new colour to her, but, if you really want to know, then I'll tell you: do you remember when I first told your Father about who I really was?"

"You mean that you were a Holy Knight of Thunder?" asked Ginny, before she laughed as she added, "I still remember the pale look on Bill and Charlie's faces when we told them; did you know that both of them bear crests in the same places as the twins?"

"They should," Hermione commented, walking up next to Harry, "Harry read his family Codex and discovered that your elder brothers are now considered in service to the House: Bill as a Goblin Liaison and Financier and Charlie as the family's Dragon Master."

"Wow!" gasped Ginny, "Do you think I should write to Charlie and tell him?"

"You won't need to," Harry replied, "I have a feeling I'll be meeting him before the year is out with regards to his new position; now, before we get too side-tracked, I need to explain. As the Holy Knight that I am, I have the archaic ability to command the power of the storms and, not long after Hermione and I went away, we performed a ritual that allowed us to fully grasp the potential of our elemental bloodlines: there is more to the story, but the short version is this: Hermione and I are now bound to one another, can both command the elements at ease and, as a side-effect of the ritual, our eyes changed colour. My right eye is now lightning-bolt silver while Hermione's is now the same colour as the sea: I don't know why this happened and neither does Sebastian, but it doesn't matter."

"Why not?" asked Ginny, looking to the warrior that stood at Harry's left-hand side.

"Because it gets the point across," Harry answered, "That I have more power than ever and I am a whole new Harry: ah," he added, stopping before a familiar store, "We're here."

Ginny gasped when she looked up and saw that Harry had indeed brought her straight to Ollivander's, the wandmaker's store making Harry smile with a reminiscent look in his eyes as he nudged his young friend inside, gesturing to Sebastian to wait outside in case of trouble.

"Good afternoon Lord Potter," Ollivander spoke up, appearing from the stacks as soon as Harry had entered, "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches: nice and supple."

"You never forget a wand Ollivander," Harry smiled, before he indicated Ginny as he explained, "We're actually here to purchase a wand for Ginny here; price is no object as I intend to pay for it."

"As you wish," Ollivander remarked, before he began to fuss over Ginny in the same manner that he had done with Harry not too long before, the Holy Knight of Thunder smiling as he heard the _wand chooses the wizard_ speech as well as the _I remember every wand I ever sold_ lecture, before Ollivander disappeared into the stacks and the tests began.

To Harry's surprise, Ginny actually took less time than he originally thought; when she swished her chosen wand, Ollivander smiled and Harry nodded once before his eyes widened in confusion as to the concoction, "Elm and Basilisk fang, ten and a half inches: strong, but a noble wand for defence and general duelling: truly an unusual blend of ingredients Miss Weasley, but not an uncommon one, not like yours, Lord Potter."

"Thank you Ollivander," Harry replied, watching as Hermione and Ginny began to leave the shop, "How much?"

"5 Galleons and 2 Sickles," Ollivander explained, before his eyes narrowed as he added, "Lord Potter, before you go, would you mind if I saw your wand?"

"Of course," Harry answered, withdrawing his holly and phoenix-feather wand, the magic feeling stronger as it rushed through his body; however, when he handed it to Ollivander, Harry then gasped as the old man seemed to take the wand in both hands, his eyes narrowed as he looked to Harry. "What are you doing?"

"I thought I sensed a stronger magical presence here," Ollivander explained, before he pointed at Harry, "Lord Potter, while you may have been using this wand since your rather unique transformation, I'm afraid that I may have been slightly mistaken when I said that this wand has chosen you. In fact, it would seem to be quite the reverse: your wand, this wand, has _not_ chosen you, but rather intends to expel your magic: I do apologise for this, but I am going to have to insist that you allow me to re-take your test and provide you with a new wand."

'There's only one reason this would happen,' thought Harry, 'And it rhymes with Malice Muddlesnore.'

"Very well," he nodded, before a smile crossed his lips as he asked, "When my wand chooses me, Ollivander, would you allow me to use some of my own magic and bind it to me?"

"A magical binding is rare," Ollivander answered, "But it would require the authority of the Ministry or an equally high-ranking member of the community."

"Oh," Harry gasped, before he retrieved his identification, "You mean like a Knight of the Holy Elemental Order?"

"Merlin's beard!" gasped Ollivander, "Lord Potter…my Lord," he bowed to Harry as he added, "Yes, I daresay that will do it; tell me, my Lord, what will you use to bind your wand?"

"My ancestor's ancient sword," Harry replied, unsheathing Excalibur from its scabbard as he added, "And a drop of my own blood."

"Then we'd best get started," Ollivander remarked, still in shock as to the truth about the curious Lord that had seemed so different not two summers before. "But, regardless of which wand chooses you, my Lord of Thunder, it is still clear to me that we can expect great things: after all, your ancestors themselves did great things, noble, oh yes, but great."

_**HPHG**_

When Harry left the wandmakers' store, his eyes were shining brightly and he was holding a brand new wand that, to Ollivander's shock, was actually made of a rare form of wood known as White Mountain Birchwood – "A truly rare magical substance that will truly keep your wand and your magic safe and strong" – as well as being infused with phoenix tears and the feather from a Black Unicorn. Once Harry had been chosen by this wand, Ollivander had guided him through the binding ritual, using both the blade of Excalibur and a drop of his blood, before a bolt of lightning had struck the wand and truly fused it to Harry's magical core.

According to Ollivander, this was actually a good thing as it meant that, no matter what anyone tried, his magical core would only get stronger and, no matter what was tried on Harry, there would be no real way to dampen or limit his powers. In fact, according to the wandmaker, if his theories were correct then it was possible that Harry would even go through his magical maturity on his next birthday, which, as the Holy Knight of Thunder, would reward him with more power than most fourteen-year-olds.

Wandering back down Diagon Alley, Excalibur now sheathed under his robe once again, Harry caught sight of Hermione and Ginny waiting for him outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Ginny close to tears and, when he approached them, Harry saw why: Hermione had apparently shared her boyfriend's wish to help Ginny and had bought her a whole new set of school books as well as some new robes marked with the family crest.

As Harry approached, he overheard Hermione talking, "I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book? Joked Ginny, still shocked as to the kindness of her family's new lord and lady.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol…"

"I haven't," said Ginny. "Errol's a family owl, but Ron's got Scabbers and Percy has Hermes."

"Then why don't you get an owl or something?" asked Harry, startling the two girls as Hermione shared a glance with him, "I told you Ginny that I want you to feel like the proud family member that you are and, given that I see you as a sister, what kind of brother would I be if I said no?"

"Harry," Ginny smiled, giving him a warm hug as Harry smiled and looked to Hermione.

'_We need to talk later,_' he sent to her, '_Sorry I was so long back there._'

'_I know love,_' Hermione replied, '_I heard everything through the link: how do you like your new wand?_'

'_It seemed to call to me,_' Harry explained, '_Apparently, it came from Ollivander's special contents, which he said he hadn't had to touch in nearly sixty years._'

Pulling away from Ginny, Harry nodded across the street, "There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got any pet that takes your fancy and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ginny, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every colour, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-coloured fur balls that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

However, while Harry was waiting, he felt the breeze blow from behind him and, without turning, knew the owner of the newcomer's voice as they asked, "Ginny, where the bloody hell did you get those new clothes? Mum will do her nut when she sees you've been begging again; in fact, maybe you should…"

"Maybe you should shut your mouth," Harry snapped, rounding on Ronald Weasley, who he saw to be holding that stupid rat of his; the whiskers on Scabbers were looking slightly droopy; holding onto Ginny, Harry continued, "As Lord of her family, _I_ provided Ginny with new materials for school so that she didn't have to seem out of place and, before you ask Weasley, you're not getting a thing until Hermione gets her apology."

"Come on Hermione," Ginny remarked, wandering around the store, "You can help me pick out a _brand-new_ owl or maybe something else that I can take to Hogwarts _that Harry is going to pay for me_."

Her emphasis on the two phrases had the desired effects: Ron went green with envy and, as he looked at Harry, he scoffed as he asked, "So that's your game is it Harry? To stoop so low that you make Malfoy seem like some kind of Samaritan? Honestly, I never thought you would have to bribe anyone else to be friends with you, but, by looking at…"

His words were cut off when Harry unsheathed Excalibur, his eyes shining with magic; all around him, the creatures in the shop fell silent as Harry stood there, his sword almost glowing in the reflective light.

"One more word Ron and I'll carve Scabbers to pieces," he hissed, before something he hadn't noticed – or really paid much attention to – before caught his eyes; Excalibur's blade didn't appear to be glowing; it _was_ glowing and, from the way that its silvery edge was shining in the light, Harry wondered what could cause such a reaction.

"Harry!" called Hermione, making the Holy Knight turn as he saw the two of his girls walking back towards him, Ginny holding onto a cage that bore a Great Horned Owl with white feathers, the tips of his wings almost misty grey and a pair of deep bronze-coloured eyes staring at Harry. Hermione, on the other hand, was holding onto what appeared to be a baggy amount of fur, but, at a closer look, Harry saw it to be a cat: the cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. It was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms and, when Harry looked closer, he actually saw that the cat was almost glowing with a sea-blue sheen that matched Hermione's heterochromic eyes.

"My word," gasped the assistant, the double-ended newt customer having left, "Miss, can you tell me what you did to make Crookshanks act so calm?"

"I don't know," Hermione replied, "He seemed to like me and, as I was walking with my friend here, he began rubbing his head against my leg, purring; when I picked him up, there was this glow and now he's so calm."

"Then he has become your familiar," the assistant explained, looking to Harry: when he saw the Crest, he inclined his head as he asked, "My Lord, I must tell you that such a bonding has never happened in here and so…"

"Price is no object," Harry explained.

"Oh no," the assistant countered, "You see my Lord; when an animal becomes a familiar as quickly as Crookshanks did, I cannot charge for the animal any longer. I simply wish the name of my Lord so that I may register the animal with the Ministry."

"Harry Potter," Harry answered calmly, "Lord of House Potter and Holy Knight of Thunder: the one who bound with Crookshanks is my girlfriend, Lady Hermione Jane Granger, Holy Knight of Ocean."

"Then I hope that you have a nice day my Lord and Lady," the assistant replied, before he informed Harry of the 6 Galleons cost for Ginny's owl and watched as Harry left the shop, before he had the unfortunate duty of dealing with the walking cotton-brains known as Ronald Weasley.

_**HPHG**_

Back at the apartments, Harry sat down with Sebastian, Padfoot at his heels, Excalibur lying across his lap as he looked to the Head Warrior, his voice trying its hardest to remain calm as he asked, "Sebastian, what do you know about the magical prowess of Excalibur?"

"Your weapon is the most powerful sword in all the world Harry," Sebastian answered, "The blade was forged in dragon's fire and burnished with solid steel and a silver-tipped edge, before it was blessed by those beyond even Merlin's capabilities. Why do you ask?"

"Something happened in the Magical Menagerie," Harry answered, looking down to Padfoot as the earlier suspicions about his young pet came back to him. "You remember Ronald 'No Subtlety' Weasley, don't you?"

"The Dead Man Walking?" asked Sebastian, earning a look of incredulous amusement from Harry; he had never known the warrior to act so calmly around him: things had changed for all of them over the summer.

"That's him," Harry explained, indicating Excalibur as he continued, "Well, while we were looking for an owl for Hermione and Ginny, Ron came into the shop and had Scabbers in his hands; he started bad-mouthing my honour and so I unsheathed the sword; it shut him up, but then, the sword began to glow and it only stopped when we left the shop."

"Then it's possible," Sebastian explained, "That the sword sensed a magical presence hidden nearby and, given how it reacted when we last met the Weasleys, it's safe to assume that it has some kind of ability within its design that senses magical threats to its wielder…almost…like," he looked down at Harry's lap, a sudden familiar ringing echoing through the room as Sebastian added, "Almost…like…it's…doing…now." He leaned closer and tapped a finger against the blade, before he looked from Harry to his feet and added, "Harry, I think it's somehow reacting to Padfoot."

"What?" asked Harry, watching as he lifted the sword away from his pet, the silver glow fading; then he hovered it over Padfoot's head and, with a gasp, Harry managed to ask, "What's going on?"

Excalibur's blade was now shining with a pure silver aura, Padfoot looking at Harry with an expression that could only be described as sorrow, before the dog stepped back, shook his shaggy mane and, as Harry watched, the dog began to change…into Sirius Black!

_**Uh Oh: Chapter 9 and Harry and Sirius meet, but what does this mean for the POA adventure and why didn't Sirius reveal things sooner?**_

_**Also, what will Harry do now that he knows the full truth about his so-called loyal pet?**_

_**Keep Reading to Find Out;**_

_**Next Chapter: Sirius has a story to tell, but it seems that Harry doesn't want to hear it: can Sirius try to explain or will he be forced to run? Also, Harry speaks with Neville about becoming an Anointed, but Neville has an offer of his own; plus, the return to Hogwarts doesn't go as smoothly as Harry had hoped, but a new friend saves the day;**_

_**Please Read and Review…**_

_**Also, **__**PLEASE stop trying to guess who the other Pure Knight will be; ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN THE SUMMER FOLLOWING 3**__**RD**__** YEAR!**_


	10. The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

**_Review Answers for Ch 9:_**

**_230 reviews and still rising: I am thankful to all who enjoy reading this story and wish to thank you all for continuing to enjoy all my new stories;_**

**_Redwoodx: I'm glad you're enjoying the story and, to answer your questions, DMW won't die, just suffer pain like never before and, as for the M.O.B; he'll get his pretty soon;_**

**_Cateagle: while I approve of the suggestion, if I did anything to make Ron disappear, I'd just get bored ;-)_**

**_DannyBoy2k: I am aware of that little fact, but all will be revealed in CoMC as to why the BLACK unicorn has feathers;_**

**_Zamia: Harry's little talk with the twins will be featured in the first week back when he gets the Marauder's Map;_**

_"What?" asked Harry, watching as he lifted the sword away from his pet, the silver glow fading; then he hovered it over Padfoot's head and, with a gasp, Harry managed to ask, "What's going on?"_

_Excalibur's blade was now shining with a pure silver aura, Padfoot looking at Harry with an expression that could only be described as sorrow, before the dog stepped back, shook his shaggy mane and, as Harry watched, the dog began to change…into Sirius Black!_

Chapter 10: The Prisoner Of Azkaban

"You," Harry gasped, pointing at Sirius in shock, his eyes wide with a mixed sense of confusion, betrayal and anger as he looked to the man that he had heard so much about, "How the hell did you…"

"Harry," Sirius whispered, keeping his voice low as he looked between Harry and Sebastian, "Please calm down: I don't want to hurt you…"

"But you will if you have to," Harry finished, Excalibur now in his hands as he pointed its tip at Sirius, "Well to hurt me Black, you'll have to get through this and don't think I won't use it."

"I know you will," Sirius remarked, his voice calm as he shared a glance with Harry, despite the sharp sword at his throat, "But I won't hurt you _even_ if I have to: you're my godson and, on my life and honour, I can swear to you that I will never harm a hair on your head."

"Then…" gasped Harry, "What…are you doing here and…why did you try and hide as Padfoot?"

"All for you pup," Sirius replied, his voice still calm as he looked at Harry, "I wanted to protect you from the lies and manipulations that people would have you believe: you see, I _know_ that you're a Holy Knight and I know that you have power and, to be honest, the one thing I'm not is afraid of this power. I know and understand that you could call on every storm possible and fry me to a crisp or drown me in rain, but I didn't expect you to discover my secret so soon."

"What are you doing here though?" asked Harry, "Why are you here? How did you escape from Azkaban and why did you come after me if not to hurt me?"

"I'm here to prove my innocence and to clear my name; I escaped from Azkaban through pure chance and taking a risk and I came after you, as you so bluntly put it, not to harm you, but to protect you and be in the one place that I should have been since Halloween night: at your side: is that all of them?" Harry was about to answer when he saw a playful look in Sirius' eyes; with an amused laugh, Harry realised he had just been the victim of a verbally-charged remark. Sirius was many things, he realised, but he wasn't a man who lied or wanted anything to do with harming Harry; no, what Sirius wanted was what Amelia had told Harry: he wanted a chance to clear his name.

"Stay there," Harry commanded, earning a bark from Sirius as if he were Padfoot; stepping back, Excalibur still in his hand, Harry nodded to Sebastian, who walked over and stood by his lord. "You knew?"

"I did," Sebastian replied, "I knew Sirius back when your Father was charged with my ascension and knew that he was an Animagus: someone who can change into an animal at will," he added at Harry's confused look. "I didn't reveal his secret to you because I felt that it was your right to learn of it, but, if there's one thing I know about that man, it's this: you, Harry Potter, are the one thing in his life that means more to him than his own life."

"Keep an eye on him," Harry commanded, turning away from Sebastian, his face staring out of the window as he opened the bond between he and Hermione. '_Can you hear me love?_'

'_I can,_' Hermione replied, her voice filled with shock as she added, '_I can't believe it: our pet, your protector: it's him!_'

'_I know,_' Harry remarked, '_But what do I do? If he stays with me, then there's a chance I may have to reveal him to Dumbledore or worse, to Amelia, just to allow him a place at Hogwarts with us._'

'_Do you know why he escaped?_'

'_No,_' Harry looked over his shoulder to where Sebastian was watching Sirius warily, Harry now holding Excalibur downwards as he spoke with Hermione, '_But I don't really _want_ to betray him Hermione: he is my godfather after all._'

'_Then do what anyone who can't bring themselves to betray someone they care about would do,_' Hermione told him, her voice soft and her very presence within Harry's mind soothing the doubts and fears of the Knight of Thunder, '_Tell him to run!_'

'_I understand,_' Harry replied, severing the bond for a while as he turned back to Sirius, his face showing regret as he explained, "I've spoken with Hermione and she thinks that you're perfectly legit in your claim of safety towards me."

"I am," Sirius replied, "Harry, if you want me to stay as Padfoot, then I will: at least until I have the chance to…"

"I want you to go," Harry told him, cutting Sirius off as he explained, "I do trust you Sirius, but I can't risk others finding out about you; so, I want you to go and do what you're meant to be doing."

"What?" asked Sirius, "You mean?"

"Yes," Harry answered, "Run: I didn't see you; I don't know you're really an Animagus and we didn't speak to one another today."

"Harry," Sirius whispered, striding across the room and kneeling before his godson; taking Harry into his arms, Sirius continued, "Thank you: you are certainly James' son: we will see each other again pup. I promise you that much…"

"Promise me this," whispered Harry, "When next we _appear_ to meet, you will tell me everything and allow me to help you: promise me that Sirius."

"I promise," Sirius replied, patting Harry on the back as he explained, "Your status will be enough to help with that and, once I am freed and cleared, I will repay you by swearing my allegiance: you have my word, my little Storm Knight."

"Wait for nightfall," Harry whispered, watching as Sirius pulled back, "Then run."

As Sirius nodded, Harry watched as the flesh and blood became shaggy fur and sorrowful eyes; running his hand along Padfoot's fur, Harry then smiled as he added, "For what it's worth: I do believe that you're innocent."

Padfoot licked Harry's face in response, the Holy Knight of Thunder smiling sadly as he stood up and walked past Sebastian, making for the bathroom where, as soon as he was safe, Harry doubled over and wept tears of loss for what he had been forced to do.

'_Harry,_' Hermione whispered mentally.

'_Talk later,_' Harry replied, '_I need to be alone._'

'_All right,_' Hermione replied, '_Later._'

**_HPHG_**

Harry was silent for most of the week, a startling change within the Holy Knight that bothered not only Hermione, but Dan, Emma and the Order; when Amelia had questioned Harry about this, he had just shrugged and replied that he supposed it was the fact that his parents' betrayer was also his godfather was finally settling in. He then assured her that he would be all right come September first and so Amelia left him alone, which gave Harry more time to concentrate on his tasks at hand, which varied from elemental training with Sebastian to swordsmanship training with Dante and Tyler; he was so occupied that he didn't notice just how quickly time had gone by until the last day of the holidays when Hermione arrived at the apartment with an unexpected guest.

After giving Harry the pass-code, Hermione stepped inside and, with a soft smile, asked, "How are you feeling Harry?"

"A little on edge," Harry replied, Hermione noticing Excalibur at his side, "Tomorrow we return to Hogwarts and I have to make a choice."

"What choice?" asked Hermione.

With a sigh, Harry handed Hermione a parchment from inside his robe; when she saw that it bore the Crest of Gringotts and was addressed to _Lord Gryfifndor_, she seemed to understand as she opened the parchment and began to read:

_To the Honourable Lord Harry James Potter, H.K.T and Lord of Gryffindor,_

_After extensive research and planning into ways to keep you out of the games of one Albus Dumbledore, we of Gringotts came across a way that you can be safe and Hogwarts herself can protect you. Said method involves your Lordship accepting his mantle of Lord Gryffindor and taking up new residence in the Lion's Wing of Hogwarts, a privately accessed area of the school designed for the care and comfort of Lord Gryffindor._

_Should you wish to accept this mantle, then I give you my word on my honour that I shall assist you with any and all means of completing the ascension to your Lordship and officially emancipate you as Lord Gryffindor, which would put you in the rank of an adult to the witches and wizards. Be warned that, due to your bond, both you and Lady Potter shall be affected by this ascension and she too will be emancipated, marking you both as betrothed and close to married._

_I await your response by midnight on September First at the latest;_

_May your swords stay sharp and your fortunes flow;_

_Ragnok Silverbane;_

_High Master of Gringotts_

"Wow," gasped Hermione, looking from the letter to Harry as she asked, "I thought that the ritual betrothed us already?"

"Not quite," Harry replied, "For now, we're simply known as boyfriend and girlfriend, but, what Ragnok fails to notice is that our bond has been strengthened thanks to my ties to the four Founders and, on top of all that, we now know that Hogwarts is ours and, even without the emancipation, I have this feeling that the school won't allow her master and mistress to be harmed."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry sheathed Excalibur and moved across the room to her, giving her a soft kiss on the lips as he gave her his answer.

"Fawkes," he whispered, "Something, I don't know what, but something happened when you and I were bound back in the Hospital Wing: here," he placed a soft kiss on her forehead before Hermione gasped as she felt Harry opening the bond between them even further than before as he added, "Let me show you."

With a gasp, Hermione let herself fall into her Harry's embrace as his memories washed over her…

_Flashback_

'Harry…Potter…'

_Harry turned over in his sleep as a musical voice sang within his mind, a feeling of strength and euphoria filling his body as he knew he was still being held by the love of his life; however, as he tried to block it out, the voice returned. '_You must listen to me Harry Potter, for there is much for you to learn.'

_"What…what do you mean?" mumbled Harry sleepily, a bright warmth filling him as he listened, "Who…who are you?"_

'I am an old friend,'_ the voice answered, _'Come to aid his true master in the destiny that has been set for you; while I cannot tell you more yet, I can tell you this. A warning: no matter what you choose to do, Harry Potter, you must not return to Number Four Privet Drive this summer; I will send a friend to help protect you from the old one, but it is essential that you do not return to Privet Drive nor do you allow yourself to lock eyes with the old one.'

_"The…Old One?" asked Harry, his eyes cracking open, a sliver of light in front of him, "You mean…Professor Dumbledore?"_

'I do,'_ the light answered, _'You have gifts that you will discover over the summer, but to learn them and use them to their fullest extent, you must remain with your Lady at all times. Do whatever is necessary to escape the old one and do not allow yourself to be forced back to that place you called home. I can and will help you, my friend, but first, you must allow me into your mind so that my plan for your freedom can be put into motion.'

_"Do what you need to," Harry replied, "No matter what…I have to do…I'll never go…back."_

_A sense of warmth and magic rolled over Harry before the voice, almost pleased with itself, spoke to him once more, _'Thank you Harry Potter; rest assured that I will be swift with my works. Now, when you and your Lady discover your powers, you must not fear them or they shall corrupt you; I will return to you soon, but, for now, take one last gift.'

_Before Harry could ask anything more, there was a soft, stunningly beautiful sound ringing in his ears, his magic almost reacting to the noise as Harry found sleep welcoming him once more, a single tear falling from his eyes as he listened._

_A tear filled with an even brighter silver spark than before;_

_As sleep grabbed onto him, Harry finally knew the name of his mysterious benefactor, "Fawkes."_

_By the time he had said the word, the phoenix had flamed out of the Hospital Wing, his plans set in motion: _

_Flashback End_

Hermione felt the bond's strength decreasing as Harry pulled out of the memories, his eyes filled with a sense of determination as he told her, "Fawkes explained that he could and would help me and then he did something to my magic that, if I could guess, must have unlocked my ties to the Founders and through that, Fawkes must have unlocked something within me that Hogwarts herself would recognise."

"Perhaps," whispered Hermione, "But we can't really know until tomorrow can we?"

"Who knows?" sighed Harry, smiling sadly as he asked, "By the way, what did you want? You told me to meet you back here because you had something to tell me, so, what is it?"

"There's an old friend downstairs with Tonks," explained Hermione, "He says he'll be coming with us tomorrow morning, but wanted to speak to you first."

Nodding in response, Harry followed his girlfriend downstairs into Tonks' apartment, which was almost as grand as their own, save for the lesser noticeable presence of their Crests. When Harry walked in, he saw Tonks was sat talking with a _very_ familiar dark-haired Gryffindor, said wizard noticing Harry walk in with Hermione in his arms.

"Hiya Harry," Neville smiled, "I was just speaking with Tonks here about you: how have you been?"

"I've had better days," Harry remarked, rubbing a rather tender spot on his neck as he asked, "What can I do for you Neville?"

"You mean other than everything you've done already?" laughed Neville, counting off the deeds on one hand, "You regained my friendship, allowed me to stand with you and Hermione when no-one else would, namely the Dead Man Walking; you also allowed me to come to your birthday party and entrusted me with your friendship, not to mention simply the fact that I know all about your being the Holy Knight of Thunder," as Harry laughed, Neville then bowed with respect and added, "To which I am honoured to see you again, my Lord."

"Well," Harry pointed out, "If you hadn't told me about the Potter family Codex, I would never have become the Holy Knight of Thunder in the first place."

"Perhaps," Neville agreed, "But I'm not here about that: I'm here because I have something I need to show you and a personal favour I would like to ask you."

"Oh?" asked Harry, "And what is that?"

"Perhaps it would be better if I showed you," Neville explained, nodding to Tonks, who pulled out a stone basin and set it between them, "This is a Pensieve; it allows a person to show their memories to another; now, I promise I'll explain everything afterwards, but, if you can trust me, then there's something you should know about us two."

"Show me," Harry remarked, watching as Neville put his wand to his temple and withdrew a silvery strand from seemingly inside his mind; with a flick of his wand, Neville then dropped the strand into the basin, Harry watching as Tonks then added a watery surface to the bowl, which mixed with the silvery strand, creating a scene before them.

"Take a look," Neville replied, watching as Harry and Hermione neared the Pensieve, "Though I warn you, I couldn't believe it either."

Harry, sharing a glance with his girlfriend, heaved a sigh and, with a smile, placed his head into the Pensieve, Neville and Hermione joining him as they watched the memories unfolding…

_Flashback_

_Neville Longbottom was having an unusual summer: first, his fellow Gryffindors, Harry and Hermione are divided from the infamous Golden Trio; then, Harry becomes a Lord and is recognised as a Holy Knight, which is big enough. But then, he gains the allegiance of the Weasley Family as a means to pay off a life-debt owed from Ginny._

_So why was it that Neville actually felt like the spare wheel in Harry's little gang of friends?_

_It was true that he and Harry had not been real friends like Ron had pretended to be and Hermione had allowed herself to become; however, Neville did know that his family had a history with the Potters and that Harry's mother – rest her soul – had been named as Neville's godmother. But, on the other hand, Neville had wanted to rekindle the friendship that his Father had held with James Potter and, despite what his sense of duty was telling him, he wasn't doing this simply because Harry had revealed himself to be a Holy Knight._

_He wasn't called Ronald Weasley; he was Neville Longbottom and he was a boy who prided himself on the company he kept as well as those who deserved respect and, after what had been done at the party, it was clear to Neville that Harry was someone who deserved respect._

_"Something wrong Neville?" asked his grandmother, distracting the boy's train of thought as Neville looked up from his seat in the dining hall of Longbottom Manor, his summer reading tasks open before him._

_"No Gran," Neville replied, his face shifting into a smile as he looked out of the window, "Just thinking."_

_"About Harry and Hermione?" she asked, Neville nodding almost subconsciously as he looked across the rolling meadows and the valley of Snowdonia that his family's home was located within._

_"I'm not jealous," he explained, "But I just can't trust that the Weasleys will keep their vow to Harry and, now that he's a Holy Knight, it makes me feel further away from my family's kinship with him than ever."_

_"Why don't you tell him that?" asked Augusta Longbottom, her hand on her grandson's shoulder, "He is your friend, isn't he?"_

_"I suppose," Neville smiled, "But what do I say?"_

_"You stopped him from making a big mistake, didn't you?"_

_"Yeah," answered the thirteen-year-old, "So?"_

_"Are you truly that dense?" laughed Augusta, earning a look of sorrow from Neville as she shook her head, "Tell him that you wish to confirm your position as his friend and, in the name of your family's kinship with House Potter, simply wish to act as a warrior and/or friend to him. In fact, you could offer to undergo a blood pact with him: after all, you're both born on the same day."_

_"We are?" asked Neville, slightly shocked at this new piece of information, "But my birthday is always the day before Harry, isn't it?"_

_"No," Augusta replied, pulling a chair out as she sat down with Neville, "That's the strange thing: you see, both Alice and Lily went into labour at exactly the same time and had both you and Harry at the same moment. Now, you may say that it is a mere coincidence, but, before their…unfortunate deaths, Lily and James were always round here with Harry and, when the two of you were together, you were truly inseparable. It was like the two of you were real brothers and, though it was rare, but there were times when Harry was only happy if you were happy."_

_"Wow," Neville gasped, "I never knew that."_

_"Frank didn't want me to tell you," Augusta explained, "Because of the threats posed between you, Harry and Dumbledore; you see Neville, I never told anyone this personally, but, as Harry has recently proven, I don't think I can trust Albus Dumbledore any longer either."_

_"So what do I do?" asked Neville, returning his attention to the window._

_"Write him a letter," Augusta suggested, "And ask him to meet you in Diagon Alley: if you want to tell him about this, then do, but let him make the last decision, all right?"_

_"All right," Neville smiled, before he joked, "Anything for my brother."_

_"That's more like it," Augusta smiled, ruffling Neville's hair as she left him to his homework;_

_End Flashback_

As they pulled out of the Pensieve, Neville saw Harry make a face that showed confusion and a sense of deep thought that he had only seen on few occasions; he then looked from Neville to Hermione and finally to Tonks, before he asked, "So this is what you wanted to talk about?"

"You don't have to accept it," Neville informed him, "But I know that our parents were very good friends and this little revelation just makes it that bit more personal for both of us. I won't mind if you say no, but I just want a chance to prove that I'm not the dense Squib-wannabe that those idiots at school keep calling me."

'_What do you think?_' asked Harry, pacing past Neville and moving through the living room as he spoke with Hermione.

'_Well,_' she replied, '_You did say that you were considering another for an Anointed; maybe Neville's meant to be the one you choose; however, as your proverbial blood-brother, he would have a share in the power we gained from the ritual that, if everything goes as I've read about in these pacts, would probably grant him an Elemental power._'

'_And it wouldn't bother you?_' asked Harry, toying with the hilt of Excalibur as if to calm his questioning nerves.

'_Nope,_' Hermione replied, '_Neville has shown nothing but loyalty towards us, so, for him, this could be his reward: he only wants to help._'

'_I guess you're right love,_' Harry remarked, walking back across the room where he took Hermione in his arms and kissed her, before he turned to Neville, Hermione's head resting on his shoulder.

"If we do this," Harry explained, "Then you'll have to understand that there may be some changes within you: as you can see," he lifted his hand to his eye and tapped it gently, Neville noticing the silvery edge to Harry's eye as well as the ocean blue to Hermione. "Our bond has done this to us and there may be things done to you; however, with some careful persuasion from my beloved Hermione Granger, I have decided to say…yes."

"I won't disgrace the family, Harry," Neville replied, inclining his head as he asked, "How do we do this?"

"Well," Hermione replied, "You have to share your blood with Harry with assistance from a magical artefact."

"I think Excalibur should suffice," Harry reasoned, Neville gasping as the Knight of Thunder revealed the weapon.

"Right," Hermione nodded, "Second, we need a witness: Tonks, would you mind?"

"Not at all," Tonks replied, before she jumped as Harry seemed to round on her.

"You'll need support," he informed her, before calling out, "Sebastian!"

The lead warrior arrived in an instant, bowing as he always did to Harry, before the Holy Knight explained the situation, the Pendragon Commander acknowledging every word as he added, "I will be honoured to support the building of your family, Harry."

"Good," Harry remarked, before he grew serious as he asked, "Should this bond affect Neville in any way?"

"As you guessed," Sebastian explained, "There is a slight possibility of an elemental power being grafted to him, but, other than that, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Do you accept that Neville?" asked Harry, looking to his soon-to-be brother.

"I do," Neville replied, still in surprise as to the arrival of the Warrior of Pendragon.

"Then," Sebastian spoke up, "Kneel Harry; Kneel Master Longbottom."

"Neville," insisted the young Gryffindor.

"Neville," Sebastian remarked, before he watched as Harry pulled Excalibur from its sheath, Sebastian continuing to address the two kneeling wizards. "Now Harry, make an incision with Excalibur in your palms and then Neville will need to do the same: you'll feel a slight tingle, similar to what occurred with Hermione, but other than that, you'll feel no pain."

"Very well," Harry replied, making the incisions, his eyes catching sight of Hermione wincing slightly as her side of the bond came alive with the use of the Holy Sword; placing the sword in front of him, Harry asked, "Neville?"

"Right," Neville answered, making the incisions himself before the two Gryffindors linked their hands, Harry feeling the expected tingle as Sebastian cleared his throat.

"I call upon those here present to witness the adoption through blood and magic of Neville Longbottom into the House of Potter: through this bond, both Neville and Lord Harry Potter shall be classed as brothers. Neville, do you swear to obey the rules and customs of the family and uphold the honour of your Lord until the day you die?"

"I swear," Neville replied, not even flinching as a strange coldness suddenly filled his chest.

"Lord Potter," Sebastian continued, "Do you trust Neville with his word and allegiance?"

"I do," Harry replied, aware of a sudden static burning at his fingertips.

"Will you see him as your brother and treat him as a Potter should be treated?"

"I will."

Sebastian turned to Neville, "Do you accept the title of Lord Regent to the Houses marked by House Potter?"

"I do."

"Then," Sebastian remarked, "By the witnessing of Lady Hermione Jane Potter nee Granger, Nymphadora Tonks and I, Sebastian McDale, Commander of the Warriors of Pendragon, I ask my lord to complete the bond."

"Very well," Harry nodded, his silver eye shining as he exclaimed, "By blood, you are kin; by magic, you are my brother and by your word, you are my friend; I, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, accept you, Neville Thomas Longbottom as my blood-brother and am proud to call you such."

Neville then raised his head and watched as Harry looked right into his dark eyes, before the Lord of the Founders and Holy Knight hissed in Parseltongue, {Let the pact be sealed!}

A powerful wind blew all around them as Neville gasped, his blood rushing with raw magic, his eyes shining brightly with a deep, but pulsing shade of blue that made him look like a living embodiment of light; when the magic was done, Harry removed his hands from his new brother and, picking up Excalibur, he asked, "Well Sebastian?"

"He is an Anointed Harry," Sebastian answered, watching as Harry and Hermione helped Neville to his feet, "But not what I sensed in him."

"What's that mean?" asked Harry.

"Well," Sebastian explained, "As you have told me about him, he has a knack for the Earth and so, I expected his power to be based around that, but, it would appear that your heritage as Lord Gryffindor has bled into him."

"But then," Harry gasped, "That would make him…"

"Yes," Sebastian nodded, "The Holy Knight of Fire!"

'_Holy shit!_' exclaimed Harry and Hermione in unison, Neville sharing their shocked expressions with his own wide-eyed, jaw-dropped look.

'Well,' thought Harry, watching as Tonks and Sebastian looked over Neville, 'Things have just gotten interesting.'

**_Chapter 10 and Harry has gained a new ally and a new member of his Holy Order, but what will he do when he reaches Hogwarts? What will his decision be for his emancipation?_**

**_Keep Reading to Find Out;_**

**_Next Chapter: The return to Hogwarts doesn't go as smoothly as Harry had hoped, but a new friend saves the day and Harry and Hermione have barely gotten through the door when the DMW and the MOB try their trickery on the Holy Knights, but a surprise defender saves their hides and Harry makes his decision regarding the Lion's Wing;_**

**_Please Read and Review…_**

**_ALSO:_**

**_I am considering giving the Warriors pairings with some of our favourite HP characters; I have plans for some of them, but would love to hear your opinion; take the ages into account:_**

**_Sebastian: 33_**

**_Elora: 29_**

**_Dante: 30_**

**_Felicia: 22_**

**_Tyler_****_: 19_**

**_Any and all opinions are welcome, as long as two of the pairings involve Sirius – because he doesn't get anyone in canon – and Amelia – given her status as Harry's Vassal;_**


	11. Darkness And Light

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

OC - Sebastian/Amelia

**_Review Answers for Ch 10:_**

**_Thanks to everyone who made their opinion on the Warrior pairings; all are taken into consideration and the final decision will be made when Sirius is freed;_**

**_Penny is wise: He said nothing because of Harry's wishes to learn everything in the next time that they met;_**

**_Ibris: so you choose Sebastian/Amelia, Sirius/Felicia, Tyler/either Fleur or Tonks, the same again with Dante and Elora/Remus? Interesting choices and I liked the logic involved in them: keep watching to discover what the final judgment is;_**

**_Redwoodx: I assume by fourth, you mean fourth Knight – the other that was sensed – in which case, I will say it again: I'M NOT TELLING! All will be revealed in 3rd summer;_**

**_T-TrainorTurkeyT: You're not the only one, don't worry;_**

**_Zamia: That seems to be the popular choice: Sebastian/Amelia; as for the Sirius choice, not a bad idea;_**

**_Happylady: Sirius/Amelia: really?_**

**_StormyFireDragon: you're always so nice about my work mate; thanks;_**

**_MariusDarkwolf: Sadly I have to say no to that as I don't have ANY experience writing a three-way relationship; however, it seems we have one winner;_**

_ "But then," Harry gasped, "That would make him…"_

_"Yes," Sebastian nodded, "The Holy Knight of Fire!"_

_'Holy shit!' exclaimed Harry and Hermione in unison, Neville sharing their shocked expressions with his own wide-eyed, jaw-dropped look._

_'Well,' thought Harry, watching as Tonks and Sebastian looked over Neville, 'Things have just gotten interesting.'_

Chapter 11: Darkness And Light

On the morning of September First, Amelia sent word via Tonks that Harry would have an escort to King's Cross and that, even though there were still frosty relationships between them, Harry would also be going with the Weasleys, Hermione, Neville and the Order, the newly-adopted Potter still in shock as to the new power he had experienced.

Apparently, according to Sebastian, Neville was considered a part of the Big Three, the trio who seemed to lead and command the Holy Knights back in the early days of the warriors. The other two were the Holy Knight of Thunder and the Holy Knight of Ocean, which meant that the newly-appointed Knight was clearly more than he had appeared after only a matter of hours as a Knight, a piece of information that Harry treasured as it meant he could truly trust Neville.

Like Harry and Hermione, Neville had an affinity with his element and his fiery personality meant that he would be able to manipulate the heat and fire within a room, being or an item of the flames. Apparently, Neville would also be able to speak to the dragons and the phoenixes as well as being considerably fire-proof and incapable of becoming too hot or too cold.

When Harry had shared this information, Neville had been impressed to say the least, but, as they waited outside the Leaky Cauldron for the Ministry escorts, Harry then turned to Sebastian, his eyes firm but filled with a calm air as he asked, "Sebastian, when we get to Hogwarts, would you and the Order do me a favour?"

"Name it," Sebastian remarked, Harry clearly noticing the absence of the words "my lord" with that response: the Warrior was learning.

"If you desire to be so formal around me," Harry explained, "Would you mind doing so in private and appearing as friendly and personal as you have been around others?"

"Of course," Sebastian remarked, before he lowered his voice and asked, "And what of those who would see you hurt or weakened?"

"That's the next point," Harry explained, looking to Neville and Ginny as he added, "It's not like McGonagall or Dumbledore will be able to stop me anyway, but I'd like to speak to McGonagall about having one of the Order watching over the Gryffindors as a personal matter. You see," he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as he explained, "I am still as yet to make my choice regarding the ancient Chambers of Gryffindor known as the Lion's Wing and so, if my suspicions are correct, then I'll be asked to remain in Gryffindor Tower and I will need someone to keep an eye on things."

"I am the head of the Order Harry," Sebastian reminded him, "If anyone should be watching over you and Hermione, then I suggest that it should be me."

"And I would agree," Harry nodded, "But I have another small task for you Sebastian and, besides, whoever I choose would need to be with the House at all times and, as the head of my warriors, you would be unable to match such a timetable. It is for this reason that I suggest someone like Tyler or Felicia as their youthful appearances will fit in around Hogwarts, whereas the rest of you could simply act as watchers from a private post or within the lessons. Also," he then added, watching as his isolation from the group finally seemed to be noticed, "I trust you to do the right thing, but Tyler and Felicia are young and I'd like to give them a chance to prove themselves to me."

"As you wish," Sebastian replied, watching as Harry seemed to rejoin the group, "I will speak with them and report back to you at a moment's notice."

"Thank you," Harry sighed, watching as Hermione seemed to remain close to Ginny, her face stern and almost nothing like the Hermione that Harry had known and loved.

'_What's wrong Hermione?_' asked Harry, directing his thoughts to his girlfriend.

'_I'm just worried is all,_' Hermione replied, '_My parents were slightly concerned that you and I would be targeted at Hogwarts and I would have to agree with them. But, out of all of the allies we've acquired, Ginny is the only girl I can truly talk to and, well…last night, I was worried about the effect her protection under our House was having on her, so I went to ask her._'

'_And what happened?_' asked Harry.

'_Oh nothing much,_' Hermione answered, the sarcasm obvious to Harry, '_Unless you count the green-eyed monster creeping up on the Dead Man Walking and him saying that Ginny shouldn't be allowed to remain a Gryffindor if she needs to lower her standards so that people feel sorry for her._'

'_I see,_' Harry sighed, looking to where the aforementioned Dead Man Walking was looking to Ginny and Hermione with a sneer on his face that could only be said to describe confidence. '_And what did you do?_'

'_Nothing much,_' Hermione repeated, '_At least…nothing that won't take effect until later on today: say, around the time of the Hogwarts Feast; you can thank the twins for their part in this._'

'_Why Hermione Granger?_' asked Harry, an amused laugh disappearing in his throat, '_Did you play a little prank on Ron?_'

'_I'm not saying anything,_' replied the Holy Knight of Ocean.

'_But you're not denying it either,_' the Holy Knight of Thunder teased her. '_Don't worry love: those two could corrupt even the most stoic of people into their wicked ways if, and I can't believe I'm using the words, but if it was for the greater good._'

'_And this time,_' Hermione remarked, '_It is._'

'_Then,_' Harry sighed, watching as the Ministry cars turned up, a selection of Aurors showing their badges to Harry as they were escorted into the vehicles, '_I guess the smart thing would be for me to sit back and enjoy the show._'

**_HPHG_**

They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley and Harry, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights; Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."

Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the Intercity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him.

In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. Once the remaining Weasleys and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty.

Before anyone could make another move, however, Harry stopped dead and turned to the Weasleys, his face suddenly very plain as he spoke, "While I'm thankful for your escort to the station, all I'm going to say is this: I have no desire to sit anywhere near Ronald or anyone appointed by Mrs Weasley, so, if it's all the same to you, I think Hermione, Neville and I will go and find our own compartment. Mr Weasley, have a nice summer: Fred, George, Ginny, feel free to join us a little later."

"Okay Harry," Ginny replied, Harry smiling to her as he fixed Ron and Molly with a stare that would have frightened even a Basilisk as if daring them to say anything now that he was in earshot. When they didn't, Hermione followed Harry down the train, Tonks, Sebastian and the Order remaining with them until they found a compartment where, as soon as they opened it, Neville gave a gasp as a familiar blonde-haired witch greeted them.

"Hi Luna," he spoke up, the mysterious Luna Lovegood looking to them as she smiled warmly, "Nice summer?"

"Interesting," Luna replied; she was dressed in her Hogwarts robes, though now she also wore a neck-chain of bottle-corks that seemed to radiate a sense of magic. "Dad and I went hunting."

"For Nargles?" asked Hermione, Harry recalling the conversation that the two had held on the way back from Hogwarts.

"Oh no," Luna smiled, "Nargles can only be summoned or called; they can't be hunted: we went hunting for Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks, but we never really found any."

"That's no real surprise," Sebastian spoke up, slightly startling Harry as he thought his guard to have gone patrolling; instead, he was standing on the inside of their compartment, Tonks sat next to Neville and Luna. "The Snorkack is an Ethereal."

"A what?" asked Hermione, Harry slightly baffled as to the purpose for Tonks still being here.

"A creature that exists within the dimensions between ours and the lands of dreams," Sebastian explained, before he looked to Luna as he added, "Nargles are another breed as are the dark omen-considered creatures called Thestrals: Ethereals can only be seen or sensed by those with a clear vision of the world between worlds and, if one such Sensory was found, then they were to be trained in their abilities. How long have you believed in them Miss?"

"Lovegood," Harry informed Sebastian, "Luna Lovegood."

Sebastian seemed taken aback as he looked to Luna before he asked, "Would you have known a Miranda, alias Maia, Lovegood?"

"My Mum," Luna answered, "She died when I was nine years old."

"She was a Sensory," Sebastian explained, "And a very good friend of mine: in fact, when I wasn't on duty for Harry's family, I was enjoying long talks about the world beyond with her."

"Could Luna have inherited her ability?" asked Hermione.

"That's one possibility," Sebastian nodded, before he seemed to lock his gaze on Harry as he added, "Though there is another."

"And," Harry asked, though a part of him felt that he knew what was coming as an answer, "What is that?"

"That she's a Pure Knight," Sebastian explained, before he looked to Luna as he added, "Though it's more likely the first as all Warriors can _sense _Pure Knights when we meet them and, right now, I'm only sensing one…Harry."

"Oh," Luna gasped, looking to Harry as she added, "I suspected that you had power Harry Potter, or do you prefer Lord Potter?"

"My friends," Harry remarked, nodding to Luna as if to tell her that she was one, "Call me Harry; it's a pleasure to meet and greet you officially Luna."

"The pleasure's mine Harry," Luna explained, before she looked to Tonks as she added, "A Metamorphmagus as well: you're very strong Miss."

"Thank you," Tonks replied, before she looked to Harry as she asked, "I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here, right Harry?"

"Thought crossed my mind," Harry sighed, looking to his girlfriend.

Tonks heaved a sigh before she leaned forwards and spoke with Harry, "After your encounter with him over the summer, Amelia wanted me to remain at your side as a guard and someone who could liaise with Hogwarts and the Ministry: I'm also to act as a personal checker for your mail, in case you receive anything laced and, once we're alone, Amelia wants me to swear a witch's oath of silence so that I won't betray your secrets and, should anything I'm not meant to see come to you, then it's a case of See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil."

Harry nodded in thanks to her, a part of him gaining a sense of respect for the junior Auror, though through the alliance that Amelia had gained from Harry, it was almost like Tonks was becoming a part of his family. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about Tonks that reminded Harry of someone else, but he couldn't think about who it was.

Introducing Tonks to Luna, as well as giving her the warning about Tonks' first name, Harry leaned back in his chair and, with the deftest of strokes, removed Excalibur from his belt, laying the gleaming goblin-made sword across his lap, his silver eye almost shining in the reflection from the light of the sword.

"Expecting trouble Harry?" asked Sebastian, looking from Luna to Harry as he addressed his young lord.

"Well," answered Harry calmly, "If the past two years are anything to go by, then this train journey will be anything except uneventful, particularly given my recent acquisitions of the Lordships that I own."

"I guess I should go and inform the Order then," suggested Sebastian, watching as Harry just nodded, resting his head on the window of the carriage as the train finally pulled out of King's Cross, the start of Harry's third year now made official as he left the Muggle world behind, a part of him laughing to himself as an ironic thought filled his head.

'I'm going home…'

Across from him, Harry heard Hermione laugh in agreement as if his thought had been spread across their bond, before the young wizard gently lay his hand on the hilt of his blade and closed his eyes, hoping beyond hope that when he next opened his eyes, he would be looking at the familiar, welcoming sights of Hogwarts School and Witchcraft and Wizardry and that the students on the train would be unaffected by any sort of trauma of accidental magic.

Was that too much to ask?

Yes…

**_HPHG_**

'_Harry wake up: we need you!_'

The sound of Hermione's voice, ringing as clear as a bell within his mind, pulled Harry from his sleep, the train seemingly slowing down, a heavy autumn rainfall now lashing against the window as Harry looked out of the window. He couldn't see anything that seemed to resemble Hogsmeade Village, though when he looked closer, Harry then noticed that the countryside scenery wasn't even Scottish, but somehow signs that they were still in England.

"We can't be there yet," he groaned, before looking to Hermione, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," she answered, "Tonks and Sebastian have gone to investigate, but that's not why I woke you: look at Excalibur!"

Harry looked down, his eyes widening as he saw the edge of his magical weapon glowing with silvery light, the metallic edge of the sword becoming coated by a strange silvery material that, when he looked closer, Harry noticed to be frost. Somehow, someway, Excalibur was being frozen by magical forces unknown and, as Harry looked back to Hermione, he saw that she was shaking.

A sound like a match being lit made both of them jump, Harry instinctively raising the sword as he looked, but calmed down when he saw that it was Neville, who was now holding a football-sized crimson flame between his hands, the Knight of Fire holding out the flame to Harry and Hermione, the Knight of Thunder smiling as he whispered, "You've been practicing."

Neville beamed at the pride, before he asked, "Can't you feel that though Harry?"

Harry suddenly _did_ feel something; like a numbing cold had entered the compartment and was slowly slithering through each of its occupants; however, when the cold reached Harry, it froze solid before Harry clasped at his head, a powerful magic trying to burrow inside him. Looking all around the compartment, Harry tried summoning a bolt of lightning, as if to assure himself that he was going to be all right before he felt it; another numbing presence was now building inside him and, with this presence came a sense of magic that seemed to not only affect Harry, but Excalibur as well, the gleaming silver sword now icing over and becoming heavy in Harry's hands.

"What…what is going on?" gasped Harry, shivering slightly as he saw Neville hand the fireball to Luna, a smile touching the face of the Holy Knight of Thunder as he seemed to pick up on something other than friendship going on between these two.

Looking around himself, Harry concentrated on the power of the storm outside, trying to force some kind of warmth into his fingers as he tried to re-heat Excalibur's surface, the metallic edge reacting to his power, but not enough so that the heavy feeling in his fingers left him. Excalibur was still frozen and, before Harry could ask what was happening, they all felt it: a powerful numbing cold had entered the compartment and, as Harry stared ahead, he then saw the window of their compartment being covered by a black-cloaked figure that seemed to trail its fingers along the glass, Harry aware of a dark and foreboding presence now working its way inside him.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Neville's hand as well as the still-glowing edge of Excalibur was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water.

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak; and then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart: Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder.

And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't…a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him; Harry was aware of a flash from the very edge of his vision, before a new scream filled the compartment, a scream like that of an orchestra of banshees and, when Harry found he could move again, a new voice was speaking, a hoarse, older voice that clearly spoke with authority.

"None of us are hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks!"

Harry's vision began to come back to him, warmth and magic flowing freely through his limbs as he slowly came back to the land of the conscious and, as he looked around the compartment, Harry saw his weapon was now glowing completely, white light snaking from its tip, the light taking the shape of an animal that seemed to stand protectively in front of the students, a new member standing in the doorway, his grey eyes on Harry.

The newcomer was dressed in shabby robes and had dark brown hair with flecks of grey; his face was slightly scarred, as though some great abuse had been suffered and, when he saw the animal in front of Harry, a word left the man's lips, "Prongs."

The animal turned from the man to Harry and the young Lord gasped as he finally saw it: it was a stag! A set of beautiful white antlers were crested above his head and, as he looked at Harry, the stag bowed with respect before he seemed to be absorbed back into the blade of Excalibur, the man still staring in awe and shock as Harry straightened up, Excalibur no longer frosted over, but now warm and powerful in his hands.

"Are you all right?" asked the man, before he stepped aside as Sebastian appeared in the doorway, his eyes wide with shock as he saw Harry in his slumped state.

"My lord," he gasped, "I'm sorry: I should not have left your side."

"Don't worry Sebastian," Harry smiled, "You followed your instincts; there's no cause for forgiveness: besides," he then held up Excalibur as he added, "I think Excalibur saved me."

Sebastian heaved a sigh, before he turned to the newcomer and added, "Thank you sir: as a Warrior of Pendragon, you have my gracious thanks and I ask what I can do to repay you for protecting my lord."

"You can stop being so formal Seba," laughed the man, Sebastian's head snapping up as if he recognised the name.

"Only two people called me that," he gasped, "Lord Potter and…"

The man stepped into the light of the compartment, his eyes shining with happiness as he added, "And me."

"Bloody hell!" Sebastian exclaimed, startling Harry as it was the first time he had heard his protector speak so informally, "Remus!"

"Yes," the man, Remus, replied, before he held out his hand to Harry and added, "Hello there cub: my name is Remus Lupin, I'm your new Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher and…I…knew your parents; now, if you'll let me, I'd like to know you."

Harry looked from Sebastian to Remus as he seemed to finally come back to earth; holding out his hand, he explained, "Anyone who knew my parents as well as Sebastian clearly says are welcome as my friends: it's a pleasure to meet you Remus."

A loud snapping sound had Harry reacting, but it was only Tonks, who had turned up after Sebastian, breaking a large slab of chocolate into pieces, before she began to hand a piece to each of the students, Harry thanking her as he sat back, Excalibur now resting by his leg as he looked at Remus, who was smiling fondly at the young lord.

'My parents,' he thought, Hermione looking to him as if she sensed his thoughts, 'He knows my parents: so does he know Sirius?'

**_HPHG_**

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, Harry wondering what Hagrid meant by three, but supposed it had something to do with Neville being with them. He had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Neville, Luna and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mold and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione got out, but Neville assisted Harry down, his hands warm as though he had pushed his magic into his body in an attempt to aid his brother.

As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.

"You fainted, Potter? Is it the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Piss off Malfoy," growled Harry, his silver eye glowing in the light of the rainstorm, "It's not wise to piss me off right now!"

"And I'd listen to him," added Sebastian, appearing seemingly out of the darkness behind Malfoy as he explained, "I suggest you move along sir and leave my young charge to his tasks: oh and that reminds me, Harry? Professor McGonagall wishes to see you with the matron."

"Great," sighed Harry, following Sebastian inside, Neville and Luna making their own way to the Great Hall as Harry had Hermione at his side, Sebastian leading them towards McGonagall's office, where, as soon as they had stepped inside, the Head of Gryffindor walked in from another room, her face showing concern and pride as she saw her two lions.

Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter."

Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in. Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss. "I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything -"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. "Setting Dementors around a school, she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate -"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

"Why?"

The question caught both members of staff off-guard, but Harry was now standing protectively next to Hermione, his hand sliding towards his belt as he waited for an answer.

"Well," McGonagall answered, clearly remembering the bad signs of upsetting her male lion over the one that he had clearly taken as his girlfriend, "If you must know Potter, the headmaster has requested that Miss Granger rethink her schedule and apply for a few additional lessons."

"Well," Harry replied, his tone thick and heavy as he tried not to lose it here, "The headmaster has no real say: Hermione, as you know, chose her subjects and chose to stay with me: so, whatever _great plan_ Albus Too-Many-Names Dumbledore had for her will have to be ignored: as I told you, the lessons we are taking are Runes, Ad Charms and Care; nothing more and nothing less."

"I understand that Potter," McGonagall agreed, "But those are _your_ choices and I believe Miss Granger wished to take Arithmancy and Divination, the latter of which is what the headmaster has requested you choose yourself as they will greatly help you in your task to become an…"

"Stop the play," Harry sighed, "I want to leave the theatre: Professor, whatever Dumbledore has told you is nothing more than a pile of crap and I use that term lightly. He seeks to use me because of my new station and turn me against my peers while trying to repair an already broken friendship; so, I will _not_ take any additional lessons requested by the headmaster. Instead, Hermione and I will be joined by Neville Longbottom in a selection of private studies seen to by my guard here, Sebastian McDale, and my family's warriors: the Order of Pendragon. Now, if that is everything Professor, I have a feast to attend to and, in the future, tell the headmaster this: he can keep his abnormally broken nose out of other people's business, clear? Good!"

With that, Harry took Hermione's hand and, turning to leave, added, "Do you mind the work Sebastian?"

"Of course not Harry," the warrior replied, "And I approve Master Longbottom joining us: let's get to the feast."

"Yes," Harry laughed, "I wouldn't want to miss the show."

**_HPHG_**

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the Dementor travelled that fast?

He and Hermione sat down on either side of Neville, who had saved them seats, Harry noticing Ron looking like he'd been sucking on the world's most sour lemons as they began to talk in friendly terms with their new friend and Harry's new brother.

"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry _had_ respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Harry remembered what had been said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Hermione glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Neville hissed in Harry's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. it was beyond anger: it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Harry, Neville, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Harry, face showing a sense of true shame as to Ron's ever-loud mouth, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

However, as the feast began, Harry just placed a hand on Neville's arm and, as he received a look, the Holy Knight shook his head, "Wait a moment: I get the feeling that you'll like this bit."

The words had barely left his lips before a familiar red-head gasped, "What the hell?"

Turning, Harry tried his hardest not to laugh as he saw Ron reaching out to the plates and tureens of food, but, no sooner had his fingers touched the edge than the food literally turned to dust, as if it were nothing more than a prank; however, when anyone else went for the same dish, the food came back and was as delicious as ever.

'_Sly,_' Harry remarked, his laughter echoing across their bond, '_Very sly: I am so glad those two are on my side._'

'_I wanted to punish him,_' Hermione reasoned, '_And this did the job._'

Harry laughed in agreement as he watched food continuously disintegrate in front of Ron, while he, Neville and Hermione enjoyed a bountiful feast, Harry noticing a certain headmaster watching with shock and a sense of fear. Seeing the look, Harry stood up and, holding out his hand, walked over to the Ravenclaw Table with Hermione and Neville, where he saw Luna sat alone, her clearly new robes already ruffled and damp from the rain. Taking a seat with her, Harry asked, "What happened?"

"I was locked out of my carriage," Luna explained, "I had to hitch a ride with the Thestrals."

"Are you all right?" asked Neville, Harry watching as his friend conjured a small flame to warm Luna back up.

"Perfectly fine," she remarked, but Harry, who had lived with the human boxing beast, knew bullying when he saw it.

"Luna," he told her, "You're not going back to Ravenclaw Tower tonight: you can come with us and, if anyone says anything, then you let me deal with it, all right?"

"Oh," gasped Luna, "Okay Harry."

As they began eating, much to the chagrin of the other ravens, Harry then sensed he was being watched: looking up, the Knight of Thunder saw he was face to face – literally – with the stout Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw looking both surprised and slightly enraged to see two lions sitting with one of his ravens.

"Potter, Granger," he squeaked, "Detention with me for wrongful place in the feast: please kindly return to your table."

"No," Harry remarked, his voice calm as he added, "And if you want to give out detentions, Professor then please, kindly give them to those who deserve it: like the Ravens who think it funny to lock Luna out of her carriage and steal her shoes and leave her on her own. Until then, I won't attend any detentions or leave her alone: she is my friend and," he then reached under his robe and heard a gasp from Flitwick as Excalibur was revealed, though Harry revealed his Knight's ID, "As the Holy Knight of Thunder, I have the right to protect who I wish and by using any means necessary."

Filius was stunned as he looked upon the blade; it was a legendary weapon and one that no swordsman would dare question: not to mention Harry's declaration as to him being the Holy Knight of Thunder. Being of goblin blood, Filius knew of the Knights and their power; if he didn't repair this fault, then he would lose face in his brothers and kinsmen.

"M-my apologies my Lord Potter," Flitwick bowed, "I was wrong to question your integrity: please accept the apology of a humbled duellist and head of House as well as my word that I will investigate these matters deeply."

"Thank you Professor Flitwick," Harry replied, placing his ID in his pocket as he then decided that there was only one way to officially look out for his friends and allies. Making a quick note on a piece of parchment, Harry quickly called Dobby and told him, "Take this to Gringotts and deliver it personally to Ragnok."

"Yes Harry," Dobby replied, vanishing just as quickly as he had arrived.

Looking to Professor Flitwick, Harry smiled as he added, "Don't worry about where she'll stay Professor: I found…the _purrfect_ spot!

**_Chapter 11 and Harry has gone out of his way to look after his friends, but can he keep his cool in Hogwarts or will he have to bring in some additional help?_**

**_Keep Reading to Find Out;_**

**_Next Chapter: Lessons with Remus, Sebastian and Hagrid; Harry discovers the truth behind Ad Charms and the Lion's Wing is explored by the Holy Knights, where Harry meets an old friend;_**

**_Please Read and Review…_**

**_ALSO:_**

**_IT SEEMS WE HAVE A WINNER: ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR CHOICES IS NOW A PAIRING!_**

**_I am considering giving the Warriors pairings with some of our favourite HP characters; I have plans for some of them, but would love to hear your opinion; take the ages into account:_**

**_Elora: 29_**

**_Dante: 30_**

**_Felicia: 22_**

**_Tyler_****_: 19_**

**_Any and all opinions are welcome, as long as two of the pairings involve Sirius – because he doesn't get anyone in canon;_**


	12. The Power Of A Name

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 10:**

**DnG The Blind Guy: Thank you for your ideas concerning the pairings and your kind words about the story;**

**Dennisud: I like the idea for the pairings, but Sebastian has already been decided;**

**Redwoodx: It still affects him, but not as badly as it does in canon; when next he meets one, all will be revealed, including what happened with Excalibur;**

**Zamia: No he didn't; his magic reacted instinctively, but the power was channelled through Excalibur;**

**StormyFireDragon: And you are an equally brilliant author with all your stories;**

**ILoveGeorgeEads: Amelia has already been decided;**

**Aealket: Sorry to disappoint you;**

**And a very big thank you to everyone who made their opinions known for the pairings; my final decision will be made at the end of the 3rd year, but Sebastian and Amelia ARE going to be a pairing;**

_"M-my apologies my Lord Potter," Flitwick bowed, "I was wrong to question your integrity: please accept the apology of a humbled duellist and head of House as well as my word that I will investigate these matters deeply."_

_"Thank you Professor Flitwick," Harry replied, placing his ID in his pocket as he then decided that there was only one way to officially look out for his friends and allies. Making a quick note on a piece of parchment, Harry quickly called Dobby and told him, "Take this to Gringotts and deliver it personally to Ragnok."_

_"Yes Harry," Dobby replied, vanishing just as quickly as he had arrived._

_Looking to Professor Flitwick, Harry smiled as he added, "Don't worry about where she'll stay Professor: I found…the purrfect spot!_

Chapter 12: The Power Of A Name

After dinner, Harry, Luna, Hermione and Neville all left the Great Hall together, a couple of the students feeling a sense of confusion and bewilderment as to the sight of a Ravenclaw and three Gryffindors all heading in the same direction. Moving upwards through the school, Harry continued his movements further up until he reached the North Tower on the seventh floor, a part of him using his knowledge of Hogwarts to lead the way as he explained, "There's a reason Gryffindor Tower is on the seventh floor you know? It's because of the Wing and, if I'm right, then somewhere around…here we go."

He had stopped in front of what appeared to be a large statue of a proud and noble warrior, the stairway to the North Tower winding around them, "This is the entrance?" asked Hermione, "I must have walked past this corridor at least a hundred times."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, before he smiled slyly as he drew Excalibur from its sheath as he added, "But you wouldn't have gotten any further than this without…the key." He lifted the sword high and, as Luna, Neville and Hermione all watched, Harry then tapped the statue's heart with the sword, before he spoke with a voice of authority, "I, Harry James Potter, Heir of Godric Gryffindor, seek access to the Inner Sanctum known as the Lion's Wing: I present the sword of the King, Excalibur, as a sign of my Lordship and allow the three beings escorting me, along with the Order of Pendragon, to enter the Lion's Wing and leave as they wish."

There was a moment's pause before Luna and Neville gasped as the statue then came to life, its stony gaze on the sword at its chest, before it looked into Harry's eyes and, seeing the silver glow from his heterochromic gaze, bowed with respect as he spoke in a noble voice. "Welcome sire: I am Lancelot, defender of the Wing and friend to Lord Gryffindor; the Chambers of the Lion await you: have you a password for access?"

"I have," Harry replied, looking to the others as he explained, "Password is Myrrdin's Valour, after the force of magic possessed by those sired by Emrys, the Holy Knights."

"Password accepted," Lancelot replied, before he visibly leaped down off his plinth and, as Harry watched, the warrior then pressed against the stone base of his plinth, a set of stairs appearing out of nowhere, their path leading downwards as if into the very foundations of Hogwarts herself. Following the path downwards, his small entourage following behind, Harry kept Excalibur held out, his eyes looking ahead as the floor beneath their feet evened out, revealing a solid golden archway with two large iron doors, the lock to which was shaped like the weapon in Harry's hand.

With a nod of understanding, Harry pushed Excalibur into the indentation, his magic resonating through the doorway as he felt the power and knowledge of Gryffindor coming to his aid, his silver eye shining brightly as Excalibur began to glow with a golden light, before there was a click and the doors opened, Harry's reaction to the room beyond being summed up by the words of his blood-brother.

"Bloody hell!"

'That's an understatement,' thought Harry, looking at the room before them: it was similar to the Gryffindor Common Room, except that it also had a long table suited for meeting and study, a set of golden-decorated leather chairs situated around the table, an image of Excalibur engraved into the fine wooden base of the table. Other than that, Harry also noticed three stairways, all of which led upwards, as well as a pair of doors on the left and right sides of the room. Moving to the left, Harry and Hermione gasped as they found a grand library, which was filled with, quite possibly, even more books and resources than those of the Hogwarts Library; there was even a large study area and central training field that was covered by a damage-reducing ward that made it safe to battle with more than magic.

Leaving the Library, Harry moved to the next room on the left, where he found a fully-functioning Potions Laboratory and clearly well-stocked supply of ingredients and texts on the subject; as he browsed the ingredients, Harry then noticed that the Wing stocked items that even Severus Snape would kill to possess, such as a full vial of unicorn blood and what appeared to be samples from a dragon's heart; Harry was looking forwards to Potions this year; that was for sure.

Moving over to the right-hand side of the room, Harry, Luna, Hermione and Neville found themselves standing in a relaxing environment that was more like the Common Room than the meeting room they had found through the door; there were several large and very comfy-looking chairs and bean-bags as well as an open fireplace that was decorated like a pride of lions' heads all roaring, the flames clearly lighting from within their mouths. Aside from the chairs and fireplace, Harry also noticed what appeared to be a private Floo channel and an ancestral clock that held the crest of Gryffindor.

That just left one room; moving through the final door, it was Neville who was left stunned this time as they found themselves standing in one area of a three-way chamber that, as Harry sniffed at the air, he recognised to be a fully-functioning greenhouse of some sort, the other two parts to the greenhouse evidently for plants and organisms that required a warmer or cooler climate. When he saw the look in his brother's eyes, Harry smiled before he explained, "When you have a free period or some spare time, feel free to indulge yourself in some private studies down here; I'm sure that Professor Sprout would approve."

"Thanks Harry," Neville gasped, watching as they left the greenhouse and made their way up towards the three stairwells, though Harry had suspicions as to their purposes.

He was proved right: the first stairwell led to a master bedroom where the signs and crests of Gryffindor seemed to decorate everything, a portrait bearing the Crest as well as the Holy Sword lying opposite a four-poster king-size bed; a large beech armoire and walk-in wardrobe ran along one wall and a door led off their bedroom into a private bathroom that was decorated from gilded metals and held the image of the lion on each tap and faucet.

The other two stairwells led to two similar chambers, albeit the third held more beds as Harry assumed that these were guest chambers and, given who he had assigned permission towards, he knew that this would be where the Order would be sleeping; if they needed anything changed, Harry would make sure that they told him.

"Wow," Hermione whispered, placing a soft kiss on Harry's cheek, "It's perfect."

"And it's ours," Harry replied, before he looked to Luna as he explained, "You and Neville are more than welcome to stay here Luna: you're friends and you're also under my personal protection from those who would bully you. If there's ever anything you need, then please don't hesitate to ask, is that all right?"

"That's fine Harry," Luna replied, before she gave a yawn as she asked, "What say we call it a night? Big day tomorrow."

"Good idea," Harry nodded, before saying goodnight to Luna and Neville, both he and Hermione returning to the master bedroom where, as soon as they were changed, the two Holy Knights curled up in each other's arms, Hermione's head resting in her favourite place: on Harry's chest.

"So what does this mean for Gringotts love?" asked Hermione, her hand linked with Harry's as she listened to his heartbeat.

"I guess it means that Ragnok will be calling on me soon," Harry explained, "As his letter said, my acceptance would mark us as betrothed and emancipate me in the wizarding world; I just hope that Mum and Dad don't mind."

"Do you have any plans to leave me?" asked Hermione, her tone indicating that she was teasing him.

"Of course not," Harry replied, "You are mine and I am yours."

"Do you have any plans to try and hurt me or break my heart?"

"I'd sooner let your Father break my neck."

"And do you have any real intentions to use me for your own gains?"

"Only in the intimate sense," Harry remarked, placing a soft kiss on Hermione's forehead as he ran his hand along her belly, earning a fit of giggles from his girlfriend, before she seemed to purr with contention as she resumed her place over his heart.

"Then," she replied, the soft breathing of her lover acting as the perfect lullaby to help her sleep, "I don't think they'll have anything to say except that you have their blessing."

Harry, giving Hermione another soft kiss on her forehead, smiled his thanks before he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him, the bond between he and the Holy Knight of Ocean growing stronger now that they were, in every sense of the word, together at home.

**_HPHG_**

When Harry, Neville, Luna and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..."

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

Before he could answer, Harry found that his magic seemed to compensate for justice as a bolt of lightning flew from the skies displayed on the ceiling – today, a bleak autumn grey – and struck Malfoy's place, the blonde-haired Slytherin gasping in shock as the other Slytherins fell silent, Harry watching as some of them turned their heads to him.

"Git," Harry scowled, his emotions draining away thanks to the lightning bolt, "Hope he shits himself."

"That little git," George said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..."

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking...They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

"No," Harry remarked, facing his fellow Gryffindors as he added, "I'm not on the team this year, remember?"

"WHAT?"

The collective cry from over half the Gryffindors was only matched by the cheers and applause from the Slytherins as Harry seemed unaffected, his eyes now not on the snakes, but the High Table, where he saw the Order sat with the teachers, Sebastian keeping close to Professor McGonagall while he seemed to keep an eye on Dumbledore.

"But Harry," Angelina exclaimed, "Why would you quit? You're the best there is…"

"The best there was…" Fred remarked.

"And the best there ever will be!" exclaimed George, before he seemed to pick up on Angelina's comment, "Why quit Quidditch?"

"Because I chose to," Harry replied, looking up and down the table as he noticed mixed looks of shock, horror, disbelief and, from one certain red-head, a sense of green-eyed envy, though he didn't know why.

"However," Harry then continued, "If you want a reasonable suggestion for a replacement, then may I suggest Ginny for the position? I've heard she's pretty fluent with a broom and her flying skills are second to none."

"Thanks Harry," Ginny smiled, "But the only one with any talent is my brother Charlie!"

"You never know," Harry sighed, before he seemed to pick up on some reminder as he called out, "Dobby!"

With his signature crack, the House Elf appeared and bowed to Harry as he asked, "How can Dobby be helping Harry Potter sir?"

"Can you go and fetch my Nimbus for me?" asked Harry, looking down the table as he explained, "I think I can find a better use for it."

At that moment, as Dobby left, the owls arrived and the green-eyed envy that settled in on the certain red-head became darker than dark as Ginny's Great Horned Owl flew down, a long, thin package in his talons.

Observing the owl, Harry then asked, "By the way Ginny: what did you decide to call him?"

"I call him Thor," answered Ginny, "Hermione said it was the name of a god of thunder and, well, when I think about who I need to thank for giving me the means to get him, I think it fits."

"Hear, hear," Fred laughed, before he lifted his goblet and added, "Here's to Harry Potter: Holy Knight of Thunder and the greatest Seeker we ever had: good luck with everything you do."

"To Harry," George agreed, before all of Gryffindor joined in the salute.

"TO HARRY!"

"Oh please," sneered Ron, finally hearing enough; rising from his seat, he walked over and went to grab the package acquired by Ginny, but was cut off when Thor slashed at Ron with his talons, Harry holding out his arm as the owl took flight and landed on his arm, its fierce demeanour being submitted against the power of the Holy Knight as Harry stroked the owl gently.

"That wasn't your gift," Harry remarked, before he sighed as he added, "I wonder what it could be: open it Ginny."

Ginny obliged, but, when the wrappings fell away, she gasped and looked down the table, where she saw Harry and Hermione smiling at her, the Gryffindors gasping in shock as she revealed a broomstick, but no ordinary broomstick.

"Bloody hell," Ron gasped, ignoring the deep cut on his hand for the item in front of them, "I thought you weren't a Malfoy kind of character Potter: that's a _Firebolt!_"

"Very good Wonniekins," Harry sneered, looking to Ginny as he explained, "Well let's face it: if Ginny had wanted to apply for the team, she'd need a fairly decent broom to knock the silver shit-head over there out of the air."

At that moment, Dobby returned and handed not one, but two packages to Harry, who gave a look of mock confusion as he asked, "Dobby, I thought I told you to go and get my Nimbus?"

"You did sir," Dobby replied, before he then pulled the wrapping from the packages and handed them to Harry, "Here are Harry Potter's Nimbuses sir."

"Holy shit!" gasped Ron, watching as Harry handed two Nimbus _2002_s to the twins, his face twisted into a smile at their looks of shock.

"Second best only to the Firebolt," Harry explained, "And don't worry; remember that you two are my Vassal Family and so, when you wish it, we can talk about that proposition and you can use that to provide the payback for these."

"Thanks Harry," gasped the twins, looking to the wooden brooms in their hands: unlike the 2001s, the 2002s were made from polished and smoother-riding white wood that was unique to each broom through the magical prowess of their riders; though what the twins and Ginny didn't know was that Harry had also provided them with the means to keep these from certain unwelcome hands by outfitting them with charms and traps that would be triggered if the broom was ever stolen.

"Now," Harry sighed, "Just one more person and one more gift."

"Oh great mate," Ron laughed, but stopped dead when Harry moved not to him, but to Colin Creevey and Oliver Wood, the latter still in shock as to the loss of his seeker.

Stopping next to Colin, Harry smiled before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a shrunken package, which he then enlarged with a flick of his wand, his silver eye glowing with magic. Handing the package to Colin, Harry explained, "There you go Col: consider it my thanks for keeping me on my toes last year."

Opening the package, Harry smiled as he saw Colin's face stretch into a look of shock and disbelief: in front of him was a framed photo of Harry, dressed in his new attire, Excalibur at his side, a sky filled with lightning illuminating the background; in the corner of the portrait was a message:

_To Mr Creevey,_

_I hope this picture is finally able to silence the fandom that you had with me last year; think of it as my way of saying you're welcome for helping you come back to the land of the living._

_May your swords stay sharp;_

_H.K.T: Harry James Potter_

"W…w…wow!" gasped Colin, looking to Harry with a sense of eternal gratitude, "Thanks Harry: I'll keep it safe forever, I promise."

"Thanks," Harry smiled, before he turned to Oliver and added, "I'm not going to explain my decision; all I'm going to say is this: good luck Ollie."

"Thanks Harry," the Quidditch Captain answered, his own attention distracted by the masterpiece that was held within the portrait.

As Harry went back to his seat, he stopped next to Ron and, looking deep into the boy's eyes, added, "And if you're wondering where your present is, you spiteful little shit, it'll be here when you give Hermione that apology…and _mean_ it."

"When hell freezes over," Ron snarled, "I have nothing to be sorry for Potter because," he lowered his voice and literally got in Harry's face as he whispered, "Soon, she'll be my slave and you'll be licking my boots."

"Sure Weasley," Harry growled, thunder rumbling overhead as he then added, "But don't forget: Hermione has the strongest wizard in this school as her boyfriend, a legion of warriors watching out for her, is able to command the powers of Ice and Ocean and also happens to have access to the strongest weapon known to man: what do you have?"

The answer was obvious…to anyone who _wasn't _a Dead Man Walking…

**_HPHG_**

Their first lesson of the morning was Advanced Charmcasting and, as Harry made his way to the second floor classroom where they were supposed to go for the lesson, he couldn't take his mind away from everything that had happened in such a short space of time since his arrival at Hogwarts. First and foremost had been his meeting with Sirius and then meeting up with the mysterious Remus Lupin, a man who knew his parents and Sebastian pretty well; afterwards had been the power of Excalibur, summoning that apparition from its blade and somehow not only keeping Harry semi-conscious, but also keeping the Dementor at bay.

Then there was the final piece of the puzzle from Harry's first day: Dumbledore trying to interfere in his life and educational choices _again_, not only trying to take Hermione away from Harry, but also trying to redirect Harry into Divination, a subject he knew, thanks to talks with Sebastian and Amelia, was nothing more than a waste of time. The teacher, Sybil Trelawney, was nothing more than a batty old fraud who would have probably spent half her time trying to convince the class that Harry was going to die and then the other half of the time appearing drunk on some kind of sherry or alcoholic assistance in her so-called trances.

'Who does he think he's kidding?' Harry thought, aware of Hermione's presence on the edge of his mind, 'It's obvious that Dumbledore wants me to try and find an advocate in the powers of the subconscious so that, when he decides it's the right time, he'll reveal to me that which I already know to be a big fake. Unfortunately for that manipulative old bastard, I know the whole story and already have my plans set in motion to do whatever I must do in order to see the completion of the Holy Knights.'

Stopping outside the door to their Advanced Charms class, Harry and Hermione shared a glance that told them that the Holy Knight of Thunder's thought had been heard loud and clear before Harry then glanced around, noticing a few familiar faces joining them, such as the Ravenclaws Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe as well as Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot, Harry not really surprised when he then noticed their fellow Gryffindor Seamus Finnegan and Neville also among the group: clearly his Gryffindor boycott of Divination had inspired the others.

'Only Dean and Weasley from the boys,' he thought, 'And Brown and Patil from the girls: no matter, I'm sure our paths will cross soon.'

However, when Harry saw the Slytherins, his face fell and his hands curled into fists as he saw Malfoy, Parkinson and Blaise Zabini walking in their direction, the first member of the group obviously still trying to impersonate a fainting fit.

'_This should be a fun class love,_' Harry remarked mentally, '_But if Malfoy tries even once to upset me or dare to insult you, then I declare open season on the snow-flake haired prick._'

'_I won't stop you,_' Hermione replied, watching as Harry then noticed a couple of Hufflepuffs approaching, among them the young niece of his Vassal, Susan Bones as well as Hannah Abbot and Justin Finch-Fletchley, the latter giving Harry a curt nod of his head, clearly wishing to bury the hatchet from their little misunderstanding in the previous year.

Turning back to the door, Harry raised a hand and knocked, slightly surprised when he heard Professor Flitwick's voice call out, "Enter!"

Stepping inside, Harry felt an iron-weight of wonder and bewilderment filling his mind and magic as he entered and, like the others, found what appeared to be apparitions flying around the room in streams of illusionary colours, their magic all coming from the stout goblin-blooded professor as he gestured to the rows of chairs, "All of you take your seats and, while you wait, I want you all to think about why you chose this lesson."

It was almost like the Great Hall all over again as the four Houses all sat with their own, Seamus on Hermione's side while Neville was next to Harry, the latter casually running his hand over the hilt of Excalibur as he found himself entranced by the swirling colours and gestures made by the apparitions before them.

So entranced was he that, by the time Harry knew what he was doing, Professor Flitwick was hovering before him, the eyes of the Ravenclaw Head staring at Harry as he asked, "Still with us Potter?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied, "Sorry sir."

"Not at all," Filius smiled, before he too stared at the whirling apparitions, just as a silver-speckled bird of some sort swooped down and seemed to pass right through Harry's body, a light tingle running through the boy wizard as Professor Flitwick explained, "In all my years, I have only ever had one other fall into the Void before: do you know who that was dear boy?"

"My Mother?" asked Harry: it was just a guess, but if the way Filius was speaking was anything to go on, then it made sense.

"Yes," Professor Flitwick nodded, before he looked to Hermione and asked, "Miss Granger, while you are not in the Void, can you tell me what you feel?"

"Well Professor," answered Hermione, gasping as a beautiful red panther followed its silvery companion and passed through Hermione, a feeling of warmth filling the Knight of Ocean as she explained, "Given that Harry and I are bound to one another, I feel something similar to what he does; a strange tingle that excites me and compels me to release the truth of my power."

"Very good," Filius smiled, "5 points to Gryffindor for such an in-depth explanation."

"What?" laughed Malfoy, Harry still watching the displays as he seemed to become relaxed by them, a part of him curious as to the lack of explanations concerning the so-called Void. "How does Granger get rewarded for that answer? Because she decided to swallow the book and then bind herself to Potter?"

"Clearly Mr Malfoy," Professor Flitwick exclaimed, the raven within him now showing its talons, "You are not skilled for this lesson so please leave my classroom: if you were, then you would know that the magic felt by Mr…I mean Lord Potter and Miss Granger is a foundation magic used for the very essence of Advanced Charmcasting. Ah," he then added, looking back to the conflagration, "Here's another one."

As everyone watched, a golden eagle flew from the gathering and swooped through Neville's body, closely followed by what appeared to be a tiger shark that powered on through Seamus, the other members of the group being affected by their own animals, from dogs and lynxes to wolves. Finally, when the gathering had returned and Malfoy had left the class, Hermione managed to ask, "Professor, what makes Harry's experience different from ours? You said he fell into the Void, but how?"

"Ah yes," Filius remarked, looking to Harry as he asked, "Lord Potter, did you, by any chance, get an opportunity to read through the texts assigned for this class?"

"Yes Professor," Harry replied, before he recited, "_Advanced Charms Level 1 by F. Wilftick_ and _Master's Guide to Enchantments by A. L. Grande_: both of which were very interesting reads, considering we should know the author of the first."

"Oh?" asked Filius, looking to Harry as he added, "Should you?"

"F. Wilftick," Harry explained, "Is an anagram of F Flitwick; you sir; we all know that you are a master of charms and duelling."

"Well then," Filius added, trying not to show pleasure at the pride from the young lord as he asked, "Can you tell me what you read on the Void?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied, "The Void is a realm of charm-based magic where the powers of illusion reign supreme; it is for this reason that a budding charmcaster needs to enter a state of consciousness where the spiritual essences of magic, otherwise known as the Void, reveal themselves. In this state, the charm-caster touches the level of his power that, to a normal witch or wizard, would be considered impossible to attach themselves to."

"Excellent," Filius smiled, "Another 10 points to Gryffindor; now, the reason I questioned Lord Potter on that was because of the state he was in when my illusions began moving: right from the moment he walked through the door, Lord Potter's magic became in synch with the power of the Void and he became lost in their walking and magical presence. Even when I told you all to think on the reason you wished to take this course, Lord Potter was still within that world, his magic, though he may not realise it, using a conduit to equalise the magical input and possible output he would need for his magic. Lord Potter, perhaps you would be so kind as to reveal this conduit as I am the only other one here, other than Miss Granger, to see the item."

"Yes Professor," Harry replied, drawing Excalibur from its sheath, the metal actually singing with magic as Harry held it out, the blade shining with the same silvery light from the avionic creature that had swooped through him. As he held it there, Harry heard a mass of gasps from those around him as Professor Flitwick gave a warm, interested chuckle.

"Amazing," he whispered, before he looked to the others as he asked, "Does anyone other than Lord Potter, Miss Granger and Master Longbottom know the identity of this weapon?"

"That's the Sword of Gryffindor," answered Marietta, "Which would make Harry…I mean Lord Potter the Heir of Godric Gryffindor."

"5 points to Ravenclaw Miss Edgecombe," Filius remarked, before he looked to the others as he asked, "But does anyone know this weapon's _real _name?"

"Real name?" asked Harry, looking to Professor Flitwick as he tried not to give the game away; clearly, he wanted to present an image where he believed his weapon was just another blade.

"Yes Potter," Professor Flitwick nodded, "Your weapon, as you well know despite your attempt at feigning ignorance, has a proper title and one that is older than Gryffindor himself: Mr Zabini?"

"I don't know sir," Blaise answered, earning a glance from Harry as he added, "Though whatever weapon that may be, Potter has obviously proven himself worthy to bear it."

"Indeed," Professor Flitwick nodded, before he added, "Let me give you a clue: the greatest swordsman in the known magic would kill to possess this blade; in his hands, he would consider himself invincible, but without proving his worth, it would be just another blade."

"Professor!" gasped Susan Bones, now staring at Harry as she asked, "Are you saying that the sword held by Lord Potter…it's really…"

"Go on Miss Bones," Filius insisted.

"Excalibur," whispered Susan, staring at Harry, who gave a smile and nodded once, "The Holy Sword that was forged by the power of Merlin himself."

"Yes," Professor Flitwick answered, "The strongest weapon in history has come back to its founding grounds: through his weapon, Lord Potter channelled his magic and made himself and his magic stronger by allowing his mind and consciousness to wander, to fall as I so basically put it, into the Void. Through that sword, Lord Potter has seemingly done that which I have only seen done by his late mother and began on a path to the power of the charm-caster, a master of the Illusion and this, my students, is what Advanced Charms is all about. You see, an illusionist in the Muggle world is better known as a magician, but, in our world, an illusionist is a powerful soul who is in tune with the Void and, in these lessons, you will learn how to touch, wander, mould and, if your will and magic are as strong as Lord Potter here, possibly even fall into the Void until your illusions are only those to your enemies, which would make them flesh and blood in our world. Now, as you all saw, the illusions crafted by me were mere examples of the power of Advanced Charms and, as you all witnessed, each one of you were bestowed by one of the animals. I ask that you do not let yourselves be concerned by this as there is a reason."

The class leaned forwards in anticipation as Professor Flitwick returned to his pile of books, Harry still in shock as to the revelation made about his Mother and the true power of Advanced Charms.

"Each of the animals," explained Professor Flitwick, "Are a symbol of the trait within you all that fuels your magical potential and, in order to craft a possible illusion or solid apparition, it is this trait that you must tap into; now, I want each of you, individually, to tell me what it was that shifted itself into you and I will explain what it is that animal represents. So, let's start with you Mr Zabini: what was your animal?"

"A leopard," answered Blaise, watching as Professor Flitwick flicked his wand, an apparition of the same leopard now standing before the teacher as if he were in an assembly line.

"The leopard," explained Filius, "A neutral person that, like the creature itself, cannot change its spots; with this trait, you will need to rely on both sides of magic, both light and dark, in order to achieve your true potential; now, Miss Parkinson?"

"A dog," answered Pansy.

"Correction," Professor Flitwick added, "What you saw was a _certain _breed of dog; a pug."

'Ironic,' thought Harry, Hermione placing her hand on his as they listened to Professor Flitwick.

"This shows a protective side to you that is overruled by a sense of self-motivation and egotism that makes you a rather unwelcome person to be around; in order to achieve your potential, you will need to counter these traits and turn them into something good; Miss Bones, how about you?"

And so it continued: Susan explained that she was shifted by a dolphin, Hannah answered with a lynx, Justin was represented by a peregrine falcon, all of which were explained as signs of strength and wisdom by Professor Flitwick, Susan's also showing a sense of love and compassion for others.

When it came to the Ravens, Cho Chang answered with a salamander, which showed a sense of warmth and a trait of deception – though Harry suspected the Raven's Head made that up as he supposed that there had been words spoken in Raven's Tower last night – before Marietta answered with a ram and that was defined as someone who was afraid to let things go and keep themselves to themselves. A part of Harry wondered if he could do something to change that, not only so that Marietta felt more comfortable, but so that Luna could also have a friend she could talk to in the Raven's Nest.

Anthony Goldstein was revealed as a Snow Wolf, which was a sign of courage that was held back by his instinctive need to learn more and prove himself to others; Terry Boot was revealed as a horse, which showed a need for speed and a freedom of expression and creativity that Professor Flitwick explained would see him through to greatness as a Charm-Caster.

Finally, it was the turn of the Gryffindors and Seamus, who was sharing his House's shock at Professor Flitwick's almost spot-on explanations, answered, "Tiger Shark."

"Ah," Filius explained, "A strong soul that yearns to protect others and something that is both a priceless treasure and a means to an end involved with others; the tiger shark is also a hunter and a predator and something that leaves its young at birth. You seek to change this trait and have the involvement of those around you; this team-building trait and the knack for survival are what you need to control to become a Charm-Caster; I must say Finnegan that I am surprised at your revelation, since you were the third member of this class to nearly fall into the Void, the others being Mr Zabini and Miss Granger; and, speaking of Miss Granger, what was yours my dear?"

"A red panther," answered Hermione, before she asked, "But why would that mean something to me Professor when my bond with Harry allows me a strength that we share?"

"While this is true," Filius remarked, "Your bond is only through that which allows you to touch the power of the other; it is not strong enough to go deeper than that. However, once again, I am surprised as the panther indicates a feeling of protectiveness and a stealthy mind that hides in the shadows while its claws are only revealed when it is threatened. Like the tiger shark, it is a hunter and seeks only to support its young and its mate; I daresay that this trait, Miss Granger, is the result of your bond with Lord Potter and that your inner instincts shall change from a panther into something greater in time: as long as you follow your instincts and your stealthy traits, your power shall be great indeed. Now, what about you Master Longbottom?"

"An eagle," Neville replied.

"Ah yes," Filius smiled, "The silent winged prince of the skies; a hunter and a defender who relies on his hyper-sensitive senses to see his mission done; someone who appears to be a clear target, but has a beast beneath the skin that longs for freedom. When you release this beast Master Longbottom, then and only then will your power become what you want it to be: and finally, how about you, Lord Potter?"

"It was a bird," answered Harry, "But it was unlike any bird I've ever known; I can't think why, but it looked familiar and it made my magic feel so alive; even Excalibur was singing when I released that energy."

"That is because," answered Filius, "Yours was a sign of true power and majesty that seeks to be a leader, friend and warrior all in one; being only the second to fall into the Void, it was obvious from the start that your power would be great and, through this beast, you have proven this to me."

"Why sir?" asked Hermione.

"Because Miss Granger," answered Professor Flitwick, "Lord Potter here did not obtain an ordinary creature like the rest of you; instead, his spirit became that of the powerful lord of magical nature itself: the mighty dragon!"

"Wow," Seamus gasped, "Well done Harry."

"Yes," Flitwick agreed, "It is clear to me through each and every one of your revelations that there will be great things from each of you; I daresay that this will be my best Advanced Charms class yet: to all of you, I can only say this…"

His mannerisms seemed to change as he looked at each of them in turn, before he stared at Harry as he spoke, "Your powers do not define you, but rather you define them and, over the next year, we shall learn more about the spectral plane and how to touch the power of the Void. Remember your traits, but do not allow them to decide your destiny…"

His eyes bored into Harry's skull, the Holy Knight of Thunder stunned into silence as he listened to Professor Flitwick's hypnotic voice speaking, the mentor's next words symbolising how Harry had felt ever since the first day he had been united with his Hermione and discovered his place as the Holy Knight of Thunder:

"You are in charge of your own destiny!"

**Chapter 12 and the power of Ad Charms has been discovered, but can Harry learn this new magic and make himself stronger or will he fall to the power within?**

**Also, what other surprises await him and Hermione as their third year continues?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Lessons with Remus, Sebastian and Hagrid; also, Harry decides to go ahead with his plan for the Ravenclaws and it's Hogsmeade Weekend, but Dumbledore's poking his nose in Harry's business again; and, to top it all off, Sirius is back and has a story to tell the HKT;**

**Please Read and Review…**


	13. A Hero's Wings

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 12:**

**Redwoodx: Yes, Harry is NOT in Divination and it was a plan on Dumbledore's hand to have Harry believing in the power of prophecy; yes he can;**

**T4: Draco was removed from the class, so he didn't get an animal;**

**DarkHeart81: Is she? I could never tell thanks to the way that they set-up the crush between her and Harry;**

**StormyFireDragon: Thanks Storm, I'm glad you think this story is so well written;**

**Firewolfe: I have plans for the gruesome twosome that will all come to pass at the right time;**

**Loki Palmer: A very amusing comparison;**

**Happylady: Yes he did, but I couldn't have ALL of Gryffindor in the same class; that's why they call them electives;**

_His eyes bored into Harry's skull, the Holy Knight of Thunder stunned into silence as he listened to Professor Flitwick's hypnotic voice speaking, the mentor's next words symbolising how Harry had felt ever since the first day he had been united with his Hermione and discovered his place as the Holy Knight of Thunder:_

_"You are in charge of your own destiny!"_

Chapter 13: A Hero's Wings

After their rather interesting Advanced Charms class, Harry and Hermione made a slight detour on their way to Transfiguration, down towards the dungeons where the second-year Ravenclaws were coming out of the class, Harry catching sight of Luna almost immediately. Seeing the two Knights standing there, waiting for her, Luna smiled at them before she asked, "Hello there Harry Potter, Hermione Granger; is something wrong?"

"No Luna," Harry replied, offering the blonde-haired Raven his arm, which she gratefully accepted, "It's just Neville: he was worried for you and asked that we escort you to Professor Flitwick's class."

"But won't you be late?" asked Luna, earning a laugh from Harry and Hermione as the Knight of Thunder looked to their new friend.

"Professor McGonagall is my Head of House," Harry explained, "While she is a tigress underneath her feline form, not even she can deny the courage and heart shown by two of her lions, let alone the Heir and Lord of her House."

"In other words," Hermione added, "Harry had Neville deliver the message and we'll get off scot-free."

"Oh," Luna gasped, watching as the White Knight of Gryffindor that was Harry James Potter guided her through the corridors, those who would attempt to redirect her or ambush her finding their attempts foiled by the presence of the Holy Knight, Harry finding that Luna was slowly becoming a welcome member of his little gathering.

As they reached the Charms class, Harry turned to Luna as an idea came to mind, "Luna, what do you have on Tuesday mornings and Friday afternoons?"

"Tuesday mornings are Professor Binns," Luna explained, "And Friday afternoons are free study periods: why do you ask?"

"Oh, no real reason," Harry answered, "It's just that those are my scheduled training lessons with Sebastian and I was wondering if you'd like to join us? I'm sure Professor Binns won't mind: Merlin," he then laughed, "He probably won't even notice."

"Oh," Luna repeated, "Okay: but do you think Mr McDale will mind?"

"Luna," Hermione assured her, "Sebastian and the entire Order serve Harry with a loyalty that is similar to the Knights of the Round Table to King Arthur: if he says that you're joining us, then you're joining us."

"Okay then," Luna smiled, nodding to Harry, "Sure: thank you Harry Potter: will I be joining your company for lunch?"

"Of course," Harry answered, turning on his heel and walking away from the Charms class and down to Transfiguration, his guess about Professor McGonagall's amnesty against their absence being proven right as she simply nodded and watched as Harry and Hermione joined Neville at their desk, the Holy Knight of Fire thanking his blood-brother for helping his friend.

"No problem," Harry replied, before he gave Neville an assuring smile as he added, "By the way: she said yes."

"Great," Neville whispered, watching as Professor McGonagall gave her usual first-lesson pep talk, "Thanks Harry."

"Hey," laughed the Holy Knight of Thunder, "What are brothers for?"

Returning their attention to Professor McGonagall, Harry listened intently as the Scottish-born witch began to give an in-depth discussion about Animagi – wizards who could change into an animal at will – before she looked to Harry and Hermione as she seemed to drive down a point, "There have been those at Hogwarts who thought themselves ready to undertake the transformation, but it is a long and dangerous process and I hope that no-one here would dare to dream themselves ready…not even our more _gifted_ students, yes?"

"Yes Professor," the class replied, Harry seeing the hint in the gaze: those who had tried it before – she was talking about his Father and, if his suspicions were right, she was also trying to give a subtle hint to protect Harry.

No doubt, she, like the school and like their so-called caring headmaster, thought the Holy Knight needed protecting:

From Sirius…

**_HPHG_**

After the lesson, Harry, Neville and Hermione made their way down to the Great Hall for lunch when Harry heard a familiar voice call out his name, "Hey Potter, can I ask you a question?"

Turning to the source of the voice, his hand slowly moving down to where Excalibur was sheathed, Harry watched as Ron Weasley swaggered across the hall, his face showing a mix of amusement and hidden concern as he asked, "Have you seen any giant black dogs around here as of late?"

"No dogs," Harry replied, before he stared deep into the idiot's face as he added, "But I have seen an ass!"

Leaving it at that, Harry turned and walked into the Great Hall, his mini-entourage at his side as they made their way to the Ravenclaw Table, Luna welcoming them with a smile as Hermione asked, "What do you suppose that was about?"

"No clue," Harry replied, before he changed tack as he asked, "Hi Luna, how was Charms?"

"Not too bad," replied the second year, "We actually had it with the Gryffindors and Ginny was my partner."

"Ginny?" asked Harry, turning to look over to the Gryffindor Table as he asked, "Where is she?"

"Professor Flitwick wanted her to stay back for a moment," Luna explained, "She's a very good friend to me Harry: is she someone you trust?"

'_She is now,_' Harry sent across the bond, '_I see that she at least knows who my friends are and sees fit to protect them._'

'_She is a member of your Vassal House,_' Hermione returned, placing a soft hand on Harry's as he began to pick at his dinner, '_Your gift to her this morning obviously drove the point home: by the way, when are you going to have that talk with the Twins?_'

'_Tonight,_' Harry replied, '_I'll return to Gryffindor Tower after Care and speak with them then: excuse me?_'

Looking to the staff table, Harry smiled and whistled once, Sebastian looking across the room to his young lord as he left the table and made his way to the Ravens; kneeling down, he asked, "You summoned me, my Lord?"

"Yes I did," Harry replied, "Who did you choose for report duty?"

"Elora volunteered," Sebastian explained, "She said that it would give her a chance, as another girl, to keep an eye on young Miss Weasley as well as the others."

"Then send her a message," Harry instructed his mentor and guard, "Tell her that I will be coming to the Tower tonight to speak with the Twins: also, I hope you don't mind, but I've invited Luna to join us for these remedial training lessons."

"As long as they have proven themselves worthy of your trust, I do not mind who joins us," Sebastian informed him, looking to the High Table as he lowered his voice, "Be very careful Harry: I may have been welcomed as a training mentor, but I haven't been able to keep an eye on Dumbledore as of yet. He seems to have some kind of ulterior motive that is centred around the new Professor Lupin and there's something about him that tells me he won't betray you, but I don't trust Albus."

"I see," Harry replied, "Thanks for the warning Sebastian: I have Care with Hagrid this afternoon and my first lesson with Lupin is on Thursday: I want you to be there and have either Tyler or Dante watching my lesson this afternoon. Tell them that I have given them my permission to intervene, but only _if_ the lesson is in danger of disruption."

"As you command," Sebastian remarked, giving Harry a slight bow of his head before he left the Great Hall, Harry watching the High Table with a sense of inquisition as he looked to their newest teacher, the greying-haired man watching Harry with an expression in his eyes that, for a short second, Harry thought he recognised as relief and pride.

Almost as if Remus was actually proud to see Harry away from the Gryffindors and surrounded by his own friends…

**_HPHG_**

Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Harry was quite sure he knew what they were talking about. Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one nasty moment, Harry thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last him a lifetime. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"We have," Harry and Hermione chorused, holding up their open copies of the _Monster Book of Monsters_ as Neville shared an almost worried glance with his blood-brother. With a soft sigh, Harry whispered, "Stroke the spine and they'll be as loyal as puppies."

"Well, well," Hagrid gasped, "Well done 'Arry an' you too Hermione: five points to Gryffindor fer comin' to lesson prepared: also, he's right: yeh jus' stroke the spines o' course."

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I - I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so - so yeh've got yer books an'...an'...now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.

"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you -"

"Not a problem here, is there Harry?" asked a youthful voice, Harry and Hermione smiling as Tyler Kingston, the youngest of the Order and the one who could fit in the best with the class, appeared from the trees of the forest, his sharp, youthful features punctuated by the streak of silver in his wild dark hair, his eyes shocking Harry as they were the same colour as the streak; a clear, almost liquid-form colour of silver that reminded Harry of mercury or molten steel.

"Nothing I can't handle Tyler," Harry replied, looking around before he withdrew Excalibur from his belt, the sword's metal singing as it was revealed to the Slytherins. As the Gryffindors shared a gasp at the sight of the majestic weapon, Harry heaved a sigh before he explained, "Do you actually think a Dementor stands a chance against this weapon Malfoy? When it confronted me on the train, it was the magic of my family's weapon that saved all of us while you were doing…oh, what did the twins say Hermione?"

"Nearly wetting himself," Hermione exclaimed, the Slytherins all suddenly looking at Malfoy with an expression that most certainly _wasn't_ the usual supportive laughter.

"Now," Harry remarked, "I've heard about this lesson: they say that we meet the unexpected and the occasionally dangerous: just _imagine_ if Hagrid somehow found a way to study a Dementor? Who'd be more scared Malfoy: me, a powerful Holy Knight with the most powerful sword in history at his side or you, a blonde-haired prat with an attitude that makes you seem less superior than you claim to be?"

"Watch your mouth Potter," Malfoy snarled, "My Father will…"

"My Father will hear about this," Harry and Hermione chorused, the Holy Knight of Thunder smiling slyly as he took up the conversation, "By all means Ferret-face; call Daddy dearest: I'd love another chance to humiliate him like I did when I spoke my mind about the events of last summer; oh, and who was it that knocked Lucius Malfoy on his ass?"

"I do believe it was a House Elf Harry," Hermione chided, the Gryffindors – minus Ron Weasley – all laughing at the revelation as Harry nodded.

"That's right love: a House Elf: the same House Elf that now serves a much more noble family and, unlike your Father, doesn't need his money to get his way."

Malfoy went red with the shame of the revelation, before a loud squeal changed the direction of the conversation.

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."

Harry did, followed by Hermione and finally Neville, the Holy Knights aware of Tyler watching from the side, his position clear should there be any cause for alarm. As he neared the fence, Harry suddenly felt a strong pull take root within his chest, the roar of the wind echoing in his ears, a familiar metallic singing coming from his right hand.

Looking down, Harry gasped as he saw Excalibur's edge shining with pure white light, Hermione and Neville noticing this, but seemingly keeping their gaze with the Hippogriffs; sheathing his sword, as he did not wish to alarm the beasts before them, Harry joined his friends, watching as Hagrid spoke again. "Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud; easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.

"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."

"Right - who wants ter go first?"

"I will," Harry replied, watching as Neville and Hermione took a step back; with a loud clap of his hands, Hagrid smiled broadly and moved to the paddock.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the gray Hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.

"Easy now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."

Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye. "Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry...now, bow."

However, as Harry went to bow to the great beast before him, Hagrid and the group gave a gasp of shock as Buckbeak flared his wings, like a phoenix about to flame away, before he bowed on his forelegs, a low chirp of respect escaping the bird-like creature as Hagrid stood there, completely lost in shock.

"Well tha's a first," he exclaimed, before nodding to Harry, "See what 'appens when you get closer 'Arry."

"Okay," Harry replied, stepping closer to Buckbeak; the beast didn't move: instead, it watched the Holy Knight of Thunder with its bright eye, before Harry extended his hand and touched the feathers on Buckbeak's head, a second roar of wind echoing in Harry's mind before everyone else gasped as a flash of lightning lit up the sky and, on his robe, Harry's Crest began to glow, the silver eye of the Holy Knight shining with raw power.

"Hagrid," Hermione gasped, "I think that Buckbeak just became…Harry's familiar."

"Blimey," Hagrid gasped, looking to Tyler as he added, "I s'pose that yeh'd better go and speak with that leader of yours, right?"

"I guess so," Tyler agreed, before he turned and walked away, his own eyes shining with wonder as to what he had just seen happen between the sky-based beast and his young lord.

Back at the lesson, Hagrid cleared his throat before he spoke again, "Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!"

This was more than Harry had bargained for. He was used to a broomstick; but he wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same.

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..."

Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. Harry wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of him was covered with feathers. But, as he sat there, Harry felt a sentient mind touch his own, instincts and trust being exchanged across the link as Buckbeak turned his head, one orange eye winking at Harry before the beast lowered his head as if waiting for orders.

"Good boy," Harry whispered, petting the Hippogriff's neck as he instructed, "Let's show them what you can do Buckbeak: off we go."

Twelve-foot wings sprung up on either side of Harry, the wind rushing through his black hair as Buckbeak sprinted forwards, before, with a single swish of those wings, the great beast took to the skies, the discomfort Harry had been fearing now non-existent as Buckbeak soared through the skies, the world above Hogwarts welcoming the Holy Knight as if it were his real world.

With a cry of elation, Harry watched as Buckbeak soared once around the school, before, with a gentle nudge through the link that had formed between them, Harry told Buckbeak to take him back down, the Hippogriff obeying his command as it slowly cantered across the ground, coming to a stop in front of the class, Buckbeak lowering himself to the ground to give Harry an easy dismount.

"Amazing Harry," Neville exclaimed, "I can't believe how easy you made it look."

"Thank you fer all yeh help 'Arry," Hagrid beamed, "Take twenty points fer Gryffindor fer helping out: now, who wants to go next?"

"Oh please," Malfoy groaned, Harry sensing danger as if he were a beast sensing the oncoming storm, "If Potter can do it, then anyone can: familiar, yeah right: you're not dangerous at all are you, you great ugly brute?"

"Malfoy," Hagrid remarked warningly, Harry reacting before anyone else could; Buckbeak rose up, his talons flared, but Harry got there first, his hands held up to calm his newfound familiar, his eyes on the creature.

"It's okay," Harry told him, "Don't mind him: come on Buckbeak, calm down." Seeing its master before him, Buckbeak lowered himself again, before he leaned forwards, Harry stroking the bird's beak of the Hippogriff as he soothed the anger within his friend. "That's it," he smiled, "You don't need to waste your rage on him; good boy Buckbeak."

Pressing his head against the beak of the Hippogriff, Harry whispered to the beast, "You're my familiar now Buckbeak and I won't allow anyone to upset you or any of your friends, do you understand?"

Buckbeak nudged Harry with his beak, a sense of understanding being sent across their link as Harry turned to Malfoy, his softness gone in an instant as his silver eye flashed like lightning.

"Do you have some kind of hearing deficiency?" he asked Malfoy, clenching his right hand as sparks began to dance across his fingertips, "Hagrid specifically told you not to insult them and, believe me Malfoy, you try and play the victim in all this and you will lose; Hagrid," he looked to his professor as he decided to ensure Buckbeak's safety, "Given that Buckbeak became my familiar, I would like to personally request that only I or my friends handle him and, if you like, I can pay for you to keep him healthy for me."

"Oh," gasped Hagrid, Harry noticing his large friend trying his hardest not to actually shed tears with this offer, "Thank yeh 'Arry: yeh 'ave an heart o' gold: all righ' then; if yeh come to me hut later, we can talk about Beaky."

"No problem," Harry replied, smiling as Buckbeak seemed to settle down next to his new master, Harry noticing Hermione and Neville giving him a warm smile as if to show they agreed with what had happened.

**_HPHG_**

When Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower, after giving Tyler an update on the class and what had happened after his bonding to Buckbeak, he was slightly surprised to find not only Elora waiting for him, but Neville and Hermione, both of them showing that they didn't want Harry to return to the belly of the beast alone.

Thanking them, Harry spoke the new password – Fortuna Major – and made his way into the Common Room, his eyes catching sight of the twins waiting for him. Taking a seat next to them, Harry started to speak, "I'm sorry that this meeting took so long you two, but I still wish to offer you both something that could be beneficial, both to the House and to your futures."

"That's funny," Fred laughed, "Because we'd like to give you something as well Harry."

As Harry watched, Fred reached into his robe and withdrew what looked like a folded parchment, which he handed to Harry as he explained, "Just tap it and say _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good:_ if you want to clear it again, say _Mischief Managed_."

Following the instructions, Harry watched as ink began to spider-web outwards from the point of his wand's touch, forming an array of intricate designs and words that, at a closer look, the Holy Knight realised to be Hogwarts. On the front of the parchment was a message:

_Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs do hereby present_

_THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

"Wow," Harry gasped, "But what does this have to do with me?"

"We did some research," Fred explained, "And we discovered that Prongs…"

"Is, or rather was, really James Potter," George finished, both of them now giving Harry a look of respect.

"And who were the Marauders?" asked Harry.

"Our idols," Fred explained.

"Our mentors," George remarked, both of them placing their hands on their hearts.

"And pranksters extraordinaire!" they chorused, Harry laughing as he actually imagined his Father causing chaos with help of his little gang.

"So," Fred continued, "As the son of Prongs."

"We decided this is rightfully yours," George explained.

"As are our services," they added in unison, Harry shaking his head as they asked, "So what's the offer?"

"In short," Harry replied, "I'd like the two of you to use your inventive skills for the good of the House and, if you can manage it, then I can arrange for a property in Diagon Alley where Messers Fred and George Weasley can set up shop and sell prank items as well as experiment to their hearts' desires."

"Serious?" asked Fred.

"No, he's Harry," George laughed.

"Save it," Harry explained, looking to the two of them as he explained, "I can arrange it so that you have your business within the year and I can have people to run it while you're here finishing your education; all you have to do is say…"

"YES!" Exclaimed the twins, Harry smiling successfully as he held out both his hands, both of the twins shaking his hands ferociously as they added, "We await your word, my Lord."

"Thanks guys," Harry laughed, "You have no idea how much this means to me."

**Chapter 13 and the surprises continue; Harry has the Marauder's Map and a new familiar, but what could worry Sebastian so much about Remus and can Harry help?**

**Plus, will Malfoy learn his lesson and, if not, will Harry get there in time to keep his friends out of the line of fire?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Lessons with Remus and Sebastian; also it's Hogsmeade Weekend, but Dumbledore's poking his nose in Harry's business again; and, to top it all off, Sirius is back and has a story to tell the HKT;**

**Please Read and Review…**


	14. Padfoot's Return

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 12:**

**We're into the 300 mark for reviews on this story; a big thanks to everyone who has alerted, faved and reviewed this story;**

**B. Oots: You may not like what you read;**

**DarkHeart81: Actually, I have an idea on the little play for someone else;**

**Zamia: Well, he's not so much as dark as he is in my other stories; more…Grey and borderline-Dark;**

**StormyFireDragon: If it wasn't for MariusDarkwolf, YugiohFreak54, robst and witowsmp, I'd say the same thing about you Storm;**

**Elle baybee: Maybe soon, but for now, things are going smoothly along;**

**Redwoodx: I thought I'd put in Ron's comment about dogs to prove a bit of continuity – that he was in Divination while Harry was in AC; also, Harry is protecting Luna from those who would shun her and he is working WITH her, but Sebastian is training her;**

**MariusDarkwolf: Yeah, I've been a bit sloppy with updates lately, but don't worry, this is one story that ain't going nowhere;**

_"Oh," gasped Hagrid, Harry noticing his large friend trying his hardest not to actually shed tears with this offer, "Thank yeh 'Arry: yeh 'ave an heart o' gold: all righ' then; if yeh come to me hut later, we can talk about Beaky."_

_"No problem," Harry replied, smiling as Buckbeak seemed to settle down next to his new master, Harry noticing Hermione and Neville giving him a warm smile as if to show they agreed with what had happened._

Chapter 14: Padfoot's Return

Following the acceptance of his offer from the twins, Harry recalled Hagrid's invitation to an evening meeting; once again escorted by his fellow Holy Knights, Harry made his way across the grounds and down towards Hagrid's hut, their new Care Professor smiling happily as he saw them standing there.

"I was wondering if yeh had changed yer mind," Hagrid commented, inviting the three inside, Harry barely getting across the threshold before Fang bounded over to him, licking his face and making himself comfortable at Harry's feet.

"How's Buckbeak?" asked Harry calmly, stroking Fang and helping himself to tea that Hagrid had provided; as always, Harry _pretended_ to accept one of Hagrid's infamous rock cakes.

"He's much better thanks ter yer bonding with 'im 'Arry," Hagrid answered, Neville and Hermione watching as Harry seemed to grow comfortable with something _normal_ returning to his routine. Hagrid had been his friend for years now and, despite the lack of faith that the Holy Knight of Thunder had in Dumbledore, his friendship with Hagrid would never change.

"I'm glad," Harry answered, his eyes watching the windows as he added, "I hope you don't mind my sense of worry for him Hagrid; it's just I'm concerned that Malfoy may try something and use his Daddy's money to get Buckbeak put down."

"Never!" growled Neville, suddenly rising to his feet, his cup of tea smashing on the floor. Seeing such ferocity in the Holy Knight of Fire, Harry was about to ask the meaning when Neville beat him to the punch, "Buckbeak is your familiar Harry and, other than being the Heir of Gryffindor _and_ the Last Pure Knight of the Elemental Order, you're…well, you: if Malfoy manages to get away with it, I'll fry his so-called perfect hair-style to a crisp."

The flames in Hagrid's fireplace flickered dangerously, but Harry couldn't help but agree with Neville: he had too many accolades to his name for anyone to have the balls to challenge him.

'Now if I could only silence the Dead Man Walking of that fact,' Harry thought, his hand now practically ironing Fang's black fur as he tried to ignore the feelings within him known to the others as the Oncoming Storm.

To distract himself, Harry decided to go for the main reason he had come down here, "Hagrid, can you be honest with me?"

"Of course I can 'Arry," Hagrid answered, "Yeh may 'ave been in the wrong place at the wrong time before, but now yer one of them 'Oly Knights, I'll tell yeh anything that yeh want to know."

"Then can you honestly tell me," Harry requested, "What your personal opinion is of Albus Dumbledore and what you think about the escaped Azkaban prisoner?"

"If yeh mean Black," Hagrid answered, "Then I can only say that 'e would never harm an 'air on yeh head 'Arry: 'e's about as loyal to yeh as Fang is ter me. As fer what yeh be askin' me bout Dumbledore: I'm gonna need yeh to keep this silent."

"Okay," Harry nodded, Hermione and Neville moving closer to their comrade as he waited for his answer.

"Personally," Hagrid answered, "I don't think he's the great man I thought 'im to be; yeh see 'Arry, he's the one that left yeh with those Muggles after Lily and James were killed. When I saw 'ow yeh were bein' treated by them, I felt strangely angry and doubted Dumbledore's orders; ever since that day, I've never really believed in 'im, and now that yeh be askin' about him, I can finally tell yeh the truth."

"I see," Harry remarked, "Thanks Hagrid: that means everything to me and I also thank you for your opinion in Black: what I don't really understand is what it is about him that makes people so protective of me?"

"Now that," Hagrid replied, "Is something that I think 'e should tell yeh himself 'Arry and…wha's that noise?"

Harry had heard it too: drawing Excalibur from his belt, Harry raced out of Hagrid's hut and down to the paddock where Buckbeak was now living, his front end reared up in rage and anger, a cowering, groaning figure at the beast's feet.

Harry would recognise the red-headed idiot anywhere, "Weasley: what in the name of magic are _you_ doing here?"

"Dealing with you," answered Ron, "Bonded to this monster: the Board won't stand for it: both he and you will be finally put down as the freaks you are."

"A noble plan," Harry replied, approaching the Hippogriff carefully, his hands held up to calm Buckbeak as he soothed his familiar with his mental presence, "But there are a few things you forget, such as my heritage as Lord Gryffindor and Holy Knight of Thunder. But, you sought this battle and I will oblige: please Weasley, fight me if you will, because I guarantee that the only one who will lose is _you!_"

A white bolt of lightning crossed the sky as Harry said the last word, his body standing tall and proud over the weakened weasel, a part of him knowing that the asshole must have had someone else involved.

And Harry didn't need to know Mastery Legilimency to know the identity of Weasley's co-conspirator…

**_HPHG_**

Ron was in the Hospital Wing all of one night, his wound healed straight away by Madam Pomfrey, despite claims from the red-headed asshole that he should allow it to heal naturally, a part of him knowing he would need the evidence. However, by the time he returned to class, Harry knew that he would need to settle his affairs with the git and soon, so, when Weasley swaggered into Potions on Thursday morning, his arm bound in a make-shift sling, Harry rolled his eyes and prepared for trouble.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for arriving late and not apologising Weasley," growled Severus Snape, his gaze noticing the slapped-together job of Weasley's sling: it appeared to be made from spare rags rather than the professional job of a healer. As he watched the boy approach Finnegan and Thomas, Severus caught Harry's eye and, to his surprise, he found a sly, crafty smile on the boy's face.

Ever since he had learned of Potter's status as a Holy Knight, Severus had been forced to change his mind about the boy's upbringing: he would never willingly admit it, but he had begun to lessen his jibes and taunts to the boy; Merlin, even Longbottom was doing better, though Snape had heard rumours that he and Potter had formed some kind of brotherly bond.

And when you threw Hermione Granger into the mix, her bond with Potter being well known thanks to the actions of the Heir of Gryffindor before the end of last year, Severus knew that he would have to watch what he said to Potter and Granger in the coming months.

Perhaps it was time for a meeting with the boy, face-to-face, particularly when Snape considered who was at Hogwarts and who was after the boy…

"Sir," Weasley called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm…"

"Use your so-called injured arm to balance the ingredient and use your good arm to cut up the roots," Snape hissed, a sudden cough that may have been hiding a laugh coming from Potter's table.

It looked like the rumours of the disbanding of the Golden Trio weren't rumours after all; as the lesson continued, Weasley tried to do everything he could to upset and gain favour from the lesson, but, every time, Severus would counter his attempts and Harry's apparent coughing would become more feigned as he tried his hardest not to laugh.

The deciding factor came at the end of the lesson as the students were bottling their potions and, as Weasley appeared to _struggle _with his, he slipped suddenly, knocking the solution to the next table, where Harry, Neville and Hermione were working.

However, as Severus watched, half-expecting trouble, he was stunned into submission as the flowing potion seemed to do a u-turn and splash all over the lower part of Weasley's robes, particularly around a certain area of the male anatomy.

"How appropriate," Harry whispered, "You had the balls to claim your injury was real, but when it came down to it, you prove that your _grapefruits _are nothing more than a bunch of shrivelled little raisins. Hermione, Neville, let's go to our next lesson: sir, we'll leave our potion on your desk."

Then, before Severus could say another word, Harry turned on his heel and left the classroom, his visage flanked by Hermione and Neville, the Holy Knights aware of a look of pained torture on the faces of every third-year boy they saw, particularly on the face of a ferret who was also making his own way to lunch.

It wasn't until their lesson with Lupin that afternoon that Malfoy revealed the looks and Harry showed the whole school that he had indeed changed…

**_HPHG_**

"Heard from your pal, Hagrid lately?" Malfoy asked in his drawling voice, Harry stopping dead just outside the Defence classroom as he had been waiting for this, "I heard that the Governors are unhappy that a pureblood heir was attacked by such a savage creature, even if it _is_ Weasley."

"Yeah," Harry droned, turning slowly, his hand moving towards Excalibur as he spoke, "Funny how Ron appeared to grow a pair right after _you_ were shunned by Hagrid's lesson, so tell me: how much did you offer him?"

"I have no idea what you…" Malfoy was cut off as the sound of metallic singing echoed through the hall, those around them stopping at the sight of the sword, which was now inches from Malfoy's face, "Threats Potter? Wait until…"

"Your Father hears about this; I know," sighed Harry, "Merlin's beard Malfoy, I have two things to say to you: Broken and Record: I _know_ you were the one to offer that magpie-minded asshole something to get Hagrid in trouble. Ron respects Hagrid as much as I do; in fact, I'd say that it's the only thing that we have left in common and, if I find Buckbeak anywhere near an executioner's axe, I'll see to it that you and your Daddy have an appointment…with _this!_"

Slashing Excalibur through the air, Harry watched as a nearby gargoyle was sliced cleanly in two, a rumble of thunder echoing throughout Hogwarts as Harry faced his long-time enemy, his voice as cold as ice as he spoke, "Be warned Malfoy: I am not the same Potter who knows nothing of his worth and, if I must, then I will use every resource at my disposal to take you down. Neither you, nor Daddy dearest scare me, not when I have a higher connection than you anyway, or have you not met Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE and Vassal to Lord Potter?"

Malfoy was white with fear as he looked to the nearly decapitated statue, the students around them suddenly moving aside as Harry saw Sebastian make his presence known, strangely flanked by Professor Lupin, who asked, "Problem here, Lord Potter?"

"Nothing I can't handle Professor Lupin," Harry answered, looking to Sebastian as he added, "Just solving a few problems and showing this idiot the jaws of the dragon."

Sebastian nodded with understanding, his own mind recalling their first so-called study lesson, which had mainly been used for Harry to give the Order a set of instructions and private messages through code-words; the _jaws of the dragon_ was a hidden meaning to _we have a problem that needs my full attention_.

"Ah," Lupin smiled, "Well then; it's a good thing you haven't gone inside."

He turned to the other third years around them, his voice carrying across the hall as he explained, "Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts class before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cage full of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song. "Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin -"

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling. "I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."

Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry. Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "_Waddiwasi_!" and pointed it at Peeves.

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."

As Severus left the room, Harry then noticed that, for the second lesson in a row, Ron was nowhere to be seen; Madam Pomfrey must be taking longer than he'd originally believed to repair the seemingly irreparable damage to Ron's anatomy.

'Still,' Harry thought, 'It's not like he didn't deserve it.'

Seeing the class all assembled, Lupin turned before he indicated an old wardrobe, which shook ferociously as he then asked, "Now, does anyone want to take a guess as to what's behind here?"

"That's a Boggart," explained Dean.

"Very good," nodded Lupin, before he then asked, "Now, would anyone tell me what a Boggart looks like? How about you Miss Granger?"

"No-one really knows," Hermione explained, "Boggarts are shape-shifters, so only those who have faced one know what they look like."

"5 points to Gryffindor," Lupin smiled, before he then turned and asked, "Mr Potter, would you tell us why exactly no-one knows why a Boggart differs?"

'What am I?' thought Harry coldly, 'A Hufflepuff?'

"Boggarts take the form of whatever the person fears the most; the only way to get rid of a Boggart is with a charm that turns the fear into something amusing, but, let's take me for example, how could you make something like, I don't know, _Voldemort_ funny exactly?"

There were shudders at the name before Lupin nodded at his answer and example, "Well done Mr Potter, take 15 points for Gryffindor; 5 for the answer; 5 for the counter and 5 for the example; now, The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please...riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in Neville, would you step forwards please?"

Harry then watched as Neville approached warily before Professor Lupin asked, "Now Neville, what is it that you fear?"

"Do you think he'll say Snape?" asked Harry, looking to Hermione as she seemed intent of keeping her focus on this lesson.

"No," Hermione answered, "He wouldn't say that…would he?"

He did…

"Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful. "Professor Snape...hmmm...Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er - yes," said Neville nervously. "But - I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well...always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress...green, normally...and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand - thus - and cry "Riddikulus" - and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."

The room went quiet. Harry thought...What scared him most in the world? His first thought was Lord Voldemort - a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind: A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak; a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth…then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning.

Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight, but, as he tried to counteract the thought of the Dementor, Harry suddenly had a _very_ vivid image of how to counter the Dementor; he was holding it.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.

Harry was, the image set clearly in his mind: everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward...Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot…"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One - two - three - now!"

Lupin flicked his wand at the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"_Riddikulus!_" squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising.

"_Riddikulus!_" cried Parvati.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.

Seamus darted past Parvati.

Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face - a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end –

"_Riddikulus!_" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then - crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before - crack! - becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Dean hurried forward.

Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"_Riddikulus!_" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Harry!" called Lupin, Harry stepping forwards, the image ready in his mind: however, when the Boggart-Hand faced him, its body twisted and contorted until it formed not an image of a Dementor, but a very pale, blood-soaked, cut-streaked, wounded and practically dead figure that made Harry's heart stop dead.

Hermione…

"You failed me Harry," Boggart-Hermione whispered, her voice as sweet and melodious as the real thing, "You killed me: you are no Knight; you're a demon!"

"No," gasped Harry, stepping back and actually dropping his wand, his eyes on the Boggart, the real Hermione moving to his side, her mind frantically trying to reach her betrothed through their link.

'_Harry,_' she cried in his mind, '_It's all right love; I'm really here: you haven't failed; you haven't killed me._'

"Hermione," whimpered Harry, the Boggart's influence on him stronger than ever, "I'm sorry."

"Here!" cried Lupin, suddenly skating across the floor, standing in front of Harry, Sebastian moving to Harry's side, taking his lord into his arms as they looked to see what Remus was frightened of.

The full moon stared back at them, though to the others, save for Harry and Hermione, it looked more like a crystal ball.

"_Riddikulus,_" gasped Remus, his voice almost desperate as the full moon became a deflating balloon that shot through the class, before it moved back into the wardrobe, Sebastian still holding onto Harry, the Knight of Thunder stammering his apologies.

"Professor," Sebastian exclaimed, "I'm getting my Lord Potter to his chambers where he can recover: please excuse us."

"Yes of course," Remus replied, a part of him now filled with sorrow as to the sight that Harry had envisioned; even the mere sight of the full moon didn't have _that_ kind of effect on Lupin.

As the class filed out, Neville, Dean and Seamus standing at Harry and Sebastian's sides, Hermione remained behind, her mind whirring with what she had seen; looking to their professor, Hermione asked, "Professor…are…are you…what I think you are?"

"Yes I am," Remus answered, watching the spot where Harry was retreating with Sebastian, "Please take care of him Miss Granger; I fear I may have failed to do that."

"I will…Remus," Hermione smiled, "And, when we're alone, please call me Hermione: anyone who cares for him as much as I do has my respect."

"Thank you Hermione," Remus nodded, watching as his student left the staffroom, his own mind still trying to get over the sight of Harry in so much pain, and so frightened of what he had seen.

If Remus' guess had been right, Harry _should_ have seen the Dementor; hearing those screams as he had done would have had a rather startling effect on him and would have driven him to counter them, but no; his fear had been his betrothed, his mate, his Hermione.

'Albus,' thought Remus, 'Why do I have the sudden feeling that you had something to do with this?'

**_HPHG_**

Reaching Godric's Wing, Hermione gave her password to the statue of Lancelot and raced inside, her mind still trying to break the barricade of fear that had formed around Harry's consciousness.

Her; his Boggart had been _her_; and those things she had said to him: _he had killed her; he had failed her; he was a Demon?_

'No,' Hermione thought, noticing Neville, Luna and the Order all waiting for her, Harry clearly being seen to by Sebastian and Tonks, Hermione wondering if she could speak to their Auror friend about the effects of Boggarts. If they were meant to be studying those things, then Harry would be forced into so much pain.

Moving towards the master chambers, Hermione gasped as she opened the door and immediately had to shut it as a bolt of black lightning missed her head by inches, Sebastian's voice speaking from the other side, "Don't come in here: it's not safe!"

"Sebastian, it's me!" Hermione retorted, hoping her bond with Harry would protect her from his onslaught, "What happened?"

"I got him back here," Sebastian exclaimed, his voice carrying through the door, "And then he started screaming: I tried to calm him and this…this tempest came from nowhere: have you tried the bond?"

"Every chance I get," Hermione replied, "It's like his mind is closed to me: _me_, Sebastian: his betrothed: what did that Boggart do to him?"

"What?" gasped the familiar female voice of Tonks, "A _Boggart_ did this? Are you sure Hermione?"

"Sure as Harry's the Holy Knight of Thunder," Hermione replied, pulling out her wand, "I'm coming in."

Pushing open the door, Hermione used her knowledge to craft shields around the room, the black lightning now dancing all over the room, but not touching her; in one side of the chamber, Sebastian and Tonks were using their own magic to redirect and dodge the blasts, the Order's Commander looking as helpless as he felt watching Harry.

And, speaking of Harry: Hermione could only weep as she saw him: Sebastian was right: his body was glowing with the silver power of the storm that he commanded, black lightning flying not only from his fingertips, but from his body and every pore on his skin, his eyes wide and terrified.

Looking to their protectors, an idea, an inspiration, came to Hermione as she commanded, "Get out: leave me here with him."

"He could hurt you," Tonks cried, rolling over to where Hermione was standing, her shield doing its work.

"No," Hermione explained, "I think he _knows_ I'm here, but he's sealed within himself; that's why I can't reach him: leave me with him."

"My Lady," Sebastian exclaimed, "Are you sure? It is my duty to protect you and my Lord to the best of my ability."

"And it is also your duty to obey our every command, even if it overrides the means to protect us," Hermione explained, gesturing to the door as she told him, "Leave Sebastian: don't allow anyone to enter here and see to it that we are undisturbed."

Sebastian felt a clash of his instincts going on inside him, but, in the end, he knew she was right; giving Hermione a salute, the warrior left the room, Tonks looking to Hermione before she joined him, Hermione sealing them both in as she spoke, "Harry, if you _can_ hear me, then know that it's all right: we're safe: I'm alive and I will never _ever_ think of you as that Boggart told you."

No response; it was time for extreme measures; pointing her wand at both him and her, Hermione removed all of their clothing, her eyes widening as she took in the glowing, athletically-trimmed look of her betrothed, her own body looking as strong as his did; truly, their bond, the Ritual of Release and a new life with Dan and Emma had given Harry his strength back.

'Though Merlin help me when we take it to the next step,' Hermione thought, her cheeks flushing at the sight of her boyfriend, 'He could intimidate a horse with that thing.'

Moving closer to his body, Hermione used a quick levitation charm to lower Harry to the bed, the black lightning cascade falling as he seemed to pick up on her meaning. Pulling back the bedcovers, Hermione slid in next to him, her naked body touching every inch of his glowing flesh, his wide-eyed, terrified look slowly becoming relaxed.

A soft hand snaked around her waist, the very touch feeling alive with static magic, a spark of lightning dancing at the fingertips as Hermione looked up, her brown and sea-blue eyes meeting one emerald and one silver eye, though both were now crying as the owner of those eyes held her tightly.

'_Hermione,_' a sorrowful voice whispered in her mind, '_Did I…did I hurt you?_'

'_No my love,_' Hermione replied, '_I am safe: it was just a Boggart; I know you'll never hurt me and, besides, I think we now have a reason to remain so close._'

'_But it was so strong,_' Harry told her, '_I actually _felt _like you had been lost to me: why?_'

'_Take a wild guess,_' Hermione replied, her body now feeling safer than it had done being here with her betrothed, '_Who do we know who would use any means necessary to see us divided?_'

'_I'm going to kill him!_' Harry snarled, the raging sea of magic and raw energy being calmed by Hermione's presence, '_I am only yours and will always be yours and not even Albus Dumbledore will change that: I swear it!_'

'_I know you do love,_' Hermione replied, placing a soft kiss on Harry's lips before she lay her head upon his chest, '_I know you do._'

"Although," Harry laughed out loud, "If Dad ever finds out that you and I were in bed like _this_, I won't need to worry about any kind of magic killing me: he'll do it for them."

**_HPHG_**

Downstairs, Tonks, the Order, Neville and Luna were witness to amused, relieved laughter coming from the Master Chambers, Sebastian smiling to himself as he looked to the others.

"Find out who did that," he commanded his warriors, "No-one harms my Lord like that and gets away with it."

"Yes sir," replied the Order, all of them leaving…save one.

"Are you okay?" asked Tonks, approaching the straggler, Neville and Luna making themselves scarce as they decided to explore their new home in more detail.

"I'm his protector," answered Tyler, "And I couldn't help him when he needed me most: how do I redeem myself now?"

"By not being his protector," answered Tonks, putting an arm around the young warrior, "But by being his friend: that's how I do it."

"Will you help me?" asked Tyler, looking into the Auror's eyes, "Will you…teach me?"

"Of course," Tonks answered, before she found herself surprised as Tyler hugged her in thanks, before he pulled away and seemed to mumble his gratitude, a red flush crossing his cheeks.

**_HPHG_**

It took Harry some time to get over his encounter with his chaotic Boggart, but, when he combined his relaxations with Sebastian's lessons, Hermione's company, the growing friendship between him, Neville and Luna and the companionship from Tonks, Harry wasn't all that surprised when he woke one morning and, feeling a familiar tightness in his heart, he whispered, "It's here."

"What's here?" asked Hermione sleepily, her voice coming from Harry's chest where she seemed to have made a permanent bed or relaxation point, though they no longer spent their night-times fully nude any longer. This was mainly to avoid any temptation to do anything that they knew they shouldn't, but it was also because Harry knew that he would need to have a little talk with Dan before that happened.

Lifting her head from Harry's bare chest, Hermione brushed her lips against his as she asked, "What's here love?"

"Halloween," Harry answered and Hermione gasped as she mentally checked the date.

"Oh Merlin; I…I hadn't noticed: are you…"

"Don't worry yourself so much Kitten," Harry replied, brushing his lips against hers again, "You've been the key reason for my distractions, a fact that I don't deny not one bit."

"Is it my fault that you're so attracted to me Sparky?" asked Hermione, Harry chuckling at the use of the pet-name that she had come up with for him: he had thought of Kitten because of what had happened last year, but for her, it was Sparky – and it wasn't due to the scar on his forehead.

"Are you complaining?" asked Harry.

"Not one bit," Hermione replied, letting herself settle back on her boyfriend's chest as she added, "Isn't it a Hogsmeade Weekend as well?"

"Yep," Harry replied, "Did I ever thank Mum and Dad for signing my slip?"

"I think the fact you call them that is thanks for them," Hermione told him, running a gentle hand along his chest as she lay there, "Though if you're really planning to thank them, then why don't we tell McGonagall to leave our names off the list this year?"

"Now that's an idea I don't mind," Harry smiled, giving his girl another kiss on her forehead as he added, "And while I don't mind lying here all day, we do have a duty as students to take advantage of any opportunity that rises to get the hell out of here."

Hermione could only laugh as she felt Harry's body stirring beneath her, the Knight of Thunder moving to get ready as he prepared for a really enjoyable day with his betrothed.

However, as Harry returned from getting dressed, now wearing a long black and golden-threaded robe decorated with his Crest, his hair and clothes styled and done up to perfection, his happiness turned into concern when he saw Hermione, dressed in a basic t-shirt and blue jeans, her own robe laid aside, eyeing a parchment with a look of worry.

"What is it?" he asked, making her look up at him.

"Sirius," she whispered, Harry's eyes widening in shock as she read the letter:

_Pup,_

_I know you told me to stay away, but there are things you need to know; will meet you at the edge of Hogsmeade Village at noon to talk;_

_Padfoot_

"Is he crazy?" asked Harry incredulously, "What's he doing coming here?"

"I don't know," Hermione answered, "Are you going?"

"Do I have a choice?" asked Harry, heaving a sigh as he slid Excalibur into its sheath, before he offered his hand to Hermione, the Knight of Ocean smiling at him as they made their way down to the main entrance, both Hogsmeade and an old friend waiting to greet them on a day that would otherwise spell doom and gloom for Harry.

**_HPHG_**

"Harry, my boy," called Dumbledore, appearing near the entrance as McGonagall checked off everyone's slips, "I'm afraid you must stay behind."

'So much for a happy day,' thought Harry, turning to greet the Headmaster as he asked, "Why sir?"

"Your slip is not signed by the Dursleys," Dumbledore explained, before he was surprised as Harry laughed and McGonagall saw red.

"Albus," shrieked the Head of Gryffindor, "I told you a thousand times over and a thousand times again: those…_monsters_ are no longer Mr Potter's legal guardians: my apologies Lord Potter," she added, turning back to Harry, before she held up his slip, "Not only have you your form signed by Mr and Mrs Granger, but Amelia sent me her _personal _permission and told me that Miss Tonks and your Order would be with you."

"Thank you Minerva," Harry replied, using the Head of Gryffindor's name to show her his full gratitude: she had addressed him out of respect; it was only fair he return the favour.

'Better luck next time Dumbledore,' Harry thought, taking Hermione's arm and leading her out of Hogwarts, following the crowd down to Hogsmeade Village, the familiar figures of the Order and Tonks greeting them at the entrance to the village.

Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp frost; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.

"Only in Scotland would this be okay," Harry remarked, looking around the village, "Only Halloween and it already looks like Christmas around here; now," he turned to Sebastian and the Order as he began speaking, "There are some rather personal tasks I need to see to, so Hermione and I will meet you lot at the end of the day and please Tonks, don't follow us."

"I won't," she replied, Harry nodding in agreement as he turned and made his way through the magical village, Hermione snuggling into his embrace as she shivered with the cold.

"Here goes," sighed Harry, walking past a tavern known as the Three Broomsticks and passing Zonko's Joke Shop, a part of him catching sight of two familiar red-heads skulking around inside; with a sad smile, Harry continued walking until he reached the end of the village, where a very familiar large black dog was waiting for him.

"Hello Padfoot," Harry smiled, petting the creature fondly, "I was wondering where you'd run off to."

Padfoot snorted and turned away, leading Harry and Hermione up a rather narrow path, until they came to a small cave with a well-lit campfire and a few provisions; no sooner had they entered the cave than Harry gasped as Excalibur's edge began to glow with a brightness that he had only ever noticed around Hogwarts.

Moments later, Padfoot looked around once before he changed back into Sirius Black, the prisoner of Azkaban looking to Harry fondly as he smiled and whispered, "Hello pup."

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, watching as Sirius seemed to get warm near the campfire.

"I'm here to tell you the truth," Sirius explained, "About my involvement in this night…12 years ago."

**Chapter 14 and Harry and Hermione seem to be bonding even closer, but will Harry's fears affect their relationship or can he conquer the demons of his mind?**

**Also, what will Harry do after Sirius has told his story? Can Lord Black be redeemed in the eyes of the Holy Knight?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Sirius tells Harry EVERYTHING about Halloween and the truth about his role as the Secret Keeper; Hermione comes to another revelation and discovers a way to clear his name; Harry receives a message about a meeting…with Lucius Malfoy; and, to top it all off, Christmas is in the air and Remus would like to join Harry and Hermione;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**NOTE: The comment from Hermione about Harry intimidating a horse came from MariusDarkwolf's story 'Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent' a well-recommended story and an excellent read;**

**SECOND NOTE: The idea for Harry and Hermione's fully-naked touch calming Harry's magic came from robst and his story A Kiss Can Save The World; all copyright and inspirational thanks to him;**


	15. Eye Of The Hurricane

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 14:**

**Zamia: I don't know whether to call that a gross image or a rather humorous one; either way, it's a nice way to put a smile back on my face;**

**Harryhermionealways: sooner than you think, my friend; sooner than you think;**

**StormyFireDragon: Yeah, well it was a nice way to end things for the chapter; I was actually inspired by the boggart as well;**

**Scout-01: oh, ha-ha; very funny;**

**Loki Palmer: Fries in winter? ****Nope, he's going to _freeze!_**

**DarkHeart81: Perhaps not, but it was a rather interesting scene to write about; only through flesh contact could a bond like theirs be restored;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: I'm not mad; just inspired…also, I'm not sick either so I wouldn't write about something like _that_ at such a young age – even though Hermione IS 14!**

_"What are you doing here?" asked Harry, watching as Sirius seemed to get warm near the campfire._

_"I'm here to tell you the truth," Sirius explained, "About my involvement in this night…12 years ago."_

Chapter 15: Eye Of The Hurricane

Making himself as comfortable as he could in the small cave, Harry watched as Sirius stoked the fire, before he sat down with his godson, Hermione on his other side.

"As you may have heard," Sirius explained, "I was tried and sent to Azkaban for seemingly murdering thirteen Muggles and a fellow wizard named Peter Pettigrew, but this is a lie. Harry, you may also have heard that I have escaped to harm you, but, like I told you when last we met, I would never harm a hair on your head; I swear it."

"I know you won't," Harry answered him, "You could have done while you were Padfoot, but you didn't: so, if you didn't escape to kill me, then just why did you and what does this have to do with thirteen years ago?"

"I'll take it from the top," Sirius explained, looking to Harry as he began speaking, "I went to Hogwarts and was the first of my family to be a Gryffindor: my elder brother Regulus was named heir as the firstborn son and a Slytherin; he was the prodigy in the eyes of my parents. Me, I was the traitorous spawn who should have been drowned at birth: so, to escape my prison of a home, I managed to find friends in three gifted wizards: Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter."

"My Dad's best friend," Harry nodded, "So trusted by him that he and Mum named you my godfather and entrusted you with my life in the event of their deaths."

"That's pretty much it," Sirius nodded, "How did you…"

"Gringotts," Harry explained, "There was a letter in my vault from Mum and Dad that I didn't really look into until just before I started at Hogwarts for my third year. It tells me all about you and how you would sooner take your own life than even consider causing any form of harm towards me."

"I see," Sirius whispered, before he cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, your Dad and I were the unofficial leaders of our little gathering, which, in time, we came to know ourselves as the Marauders."

"The inventors of the map," Harry nodded, "I might have guessed given that Messer Padfoot was one of them, but Sirius, you're meant to be telling me about what happened on this night twelve years ago, aren't you?"

"I am," Sirius explained, "I just wanted you to see that I could never mean any harm to anyone with the name Potter, past or present: I was always welcome at James' place and, when he announced that he and Lily were engaged to be married, I felt so happy. So you can probably imagine how I felt when James revealed the Family Secret: that he and his Father were descendants of this clan of warriors."

"The Holy Knights," Harry nodded, Hermione watching him warily as she saw Harry reveal Excalibur, "I know this bit: I'm the Last Pure Knight: the Holy Knight of Thunder and my parents weren't the parents of a half-blood, but a powerful pureblood Knight."

"So I guess I can skip that little secret then," Sirius laughed, looking into the campfire as he spoke, "But yeah, James shared the big secret with me and then explained that he and Lily were trying for a baby; when it came back positive and you were born, I'll never forget the look in your Dad's eyes, though he was actually scared."

"Scared?" asked Harry, "Why?"

"Harry," Sirius answered, "You're only 13, so this will be a little bit difficult to grasp, but…do you know just how powerful a Holy Knight _really_ is and I mean _really_?"

"I should," Harry answered him, "Hermione and I underwent the Ritual of Release and gained our full abilities as well as cemented our bond of love and respect towards one another."

"Then you may understand this," Sirius told him, "But a Holy Knight's power is not only respected by certain members of the wizarding society; they are also sought…coveted, you could say and, as the son of a Holy Knight, or even the grandson of a Pure Knight, James was worried as for who would be after your powers…namely…"

"Dumbledore," Harry nodded, running the edge of his robe over the blade of Excalibur, as if to distract himself from what was obviously coming, "So how did you allegedly betray them and what does all this have to do with me?"

"Dumbledore manipulated them," Sirius explained, "He manipulated their fears around a certain prophecy and forced them into hiding: have you…"

"I know the prophecy," Harry answered him, "I also know it's a big LIE! You probably won't believe _me_, Sirius, but Voldemort…sorry, Tom Riddle doesn't want to destroy me: in fact, he wants, or has wanted to _join_ me: he's a Knight as well."

"Really?" asked Sirius, "That is interesting; still, it would explain why Albus manipulated your parents' fears: when he did, Lily, James and you, Harry, all went into hiding and Dumbledore placed them under the Fidelius Charm, a complex ward that allows only one person, a Secret Keeper, to know the location or deepest secret of the caster or subject. In this case, Dumbledore cast it on your parents and made me their Secret Keeper; in this time, Lily and James wrote their letter to you about how I could not harm you and how you would be able to trust me. Then, one year after you were born, James and I…we had a falling out."

"How?" asked Harry, now aware of Hermione moving behind him as if to keep her betrothed calm.

"Take a wild guess," Sirius answered, "Albus made James believe that, just because my name was Black, I _had_ to have dark intentions in being entrusted with the safety of a Light Family. Confronting me about this, James actually accused me of being someone who was out for your powers; I tried to make him see sense and told him that I valued our friendship, our near-brotherhood too much to risk a single hair on your head. However, I failed to realise that I was dealing with a Master Manipulator here: James threw me from his home and, two days later, I couldn't find them anywhere: they had switched Secret Keepers."

"Who was the new Secret Keeper?" asked Harry.

"Peter," answered Sirius, his voice suddenly taking a rather deep growl to it's tone as he said the word, "Wormtail: how appropriate: I tried and tried to get Albus to confide in me, but he kept telling me that it was all for the Greater Good and that Peter was trustworthy…then…Halloween happened."

"I can guess what you mean by that," Harry hissed, Hermione's soft touch doing its job as she held onto him.

"Yes," Sirius answered, "Through sheer determination and my will to protect you, I managed to make it to Gringotts and enact my will as Lord Black to discover your parents address; Godric's Hollow. I took my motorbike there, but, by the time I arrived, the house was up in flames and all I could hear was you…crying: I ran into the inferno and found your body with that damned scar on your forehead. I knew, in one single solitary moment, what had happened: Peter had betrayed Lily and James. Harry, you have to believe me: I would never do anything to harm Lily or James and, once I have done what I started to do twelve years ago, I'll do everything I can to give you your life back."

"Sirius," Harry cut in, "What _did_ you do twelve years ago?"

"I was the one to give you to Hagrid," Sirius admitted, his eyes filled with pain as he lowered his head, a sense of shame in his gaze, "He said that he was taking you somewhere safe and that he would come and get me when the time was right: I should have kept hold of you; I should have done _something, anything!_ But, I didn't: I handed you to Hagrid and then, seeing the house come close to falling around us, I did the only other thing I could think of."

"You went hunting for Pettigrew," Hermione spoke up, her voice holding the pain that was being felt by her betrothed, "Then what?"

"I chased him all night," Sirius explained, "Finally cornering him in a Muggle village; the dirty coward then had the gall to cry out, asking how I could betray them to…to…Voldemort: me! I went for my wand, hoping to immobilise him and then come after you, pup, but the dirty coward blasted the whole street apart: he always was a shit duellist. When the debris faded, Peter had cut off his finger, faking his own death and leaving me to the Aurors. Harry, I escaped from Azkaban simply for the reason to clear my name and to prove that Mr Order of Merlin – which is what he got in his memory – is still alive and the real traitor…and that's my story."

Silence filled the cave for a spare moment, Harry's breath showing only calmness and a deep root of thought that came from somewhere deep inside him: something about the way Pettigrew had faked his death…and the timing of Sirius' escape – something was trying to piece itself together.

Finally, it was Hermione who broke the silence, "Sirius: how did you manage to escape from Azkaban anyway?"

"Well," Sirius laughed, rubbing the back of his head as if amused and suddenly realising the piece of the puzzle that he himself hadn't thought of, "That is a good question there Miss Granger…Hermione," he corrected himself, having seen the way that she and his godson were linked. Earning Hermione's respect would make Sirius prove himself to Harry…somehow. "I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me...but it kept me sane and knowing who I am...helped me keep my powers...so when it all became...too much...I could transform in my cell...become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know..." He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions...They could tell that my feelings were less - less human, less complex when I was a dog...but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand. But then I saw Peter in that picture...I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry, perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again."

"Picture?" asked Harry, and suddenly, Hermione gave a gasp of realisation.

"Harry," she exclaimed, "Don't you remember your birthday? Padfoot…I mean Sirius tore the part of the picture with Ron on it; we thought it was because we didn't trust him…but what if…"

"Ron is Wormtail?" asked Harry, "Come off it Hermione; I would have known something…"

"Not Ron dummy," Hermione laughed, "Scabbers!"

'Ah,' thought Harry, watching as a smile of pure agreement crossed Sirius' face, 'That makes much more sense.'

"But," he then added, "Didn't you escape _before_ that picture was in the paper?"

"Yes," Sirius answered, "The day before: someone, and I have my own suspicions as to whom, sent me an advanced copy and seemed to stir old feelings in me. Harry, I'm sorry, but this is something I need to do: can you understand how I feel about all this?"

"Yes," Harry nodded, "But I can't let you go through with it Sirius: if, and I say _if_ you're right about Pettigrew, then you had better leave it to me to do this: we can't have you falling into the trap that your _mysterious benefactor_ decided to unleash on you. In the meantime, I suggest only this: that you return to Mum and Dad's place and wait until Christmas; then…and only then can we sort this mess out."

"Your Mum and Dad?" asked Sirius.

"He means my Mum and Dad," Hermione explained, "They sort of unofficially adopted him in the magical world and, when we became bonded, they became his guardians: but it's a good idea. We were planning on going home this Christmas anyway and, with Harry's Vassal, it'll be even easier to deal with all this trouble."

"Why?" asked Sirius, "Who's Harry's Vassal?"

"Amelia Bones," Harry answered, "Head of the DMLE and the reason that I'm the athletically-strong wizard you have sitting next to you. Now, in the meantime, if you're right about this, I'll find a way to get a hold of Pettigrew and hand him over to Amelia: we'll have justice done, but please Sirius…I'm begging you now: don't become a murderer. I need you."

"I know you do pup," Sirius sighed, his face twisted into a sad smile, "And that's why I'll do as you say: all right: until Christmas, I'll keep a low profile, but what about your Mum and Dad? Can they…"

"I'll send an owl," Harry explained, "Or failing that: I'll ask Dobby to help explain things."

Sirius could only nod, before Hermione actually pushed Harry forwards, godfather and godson finally sharing a long overdue hug of respect, comfort and alliance to one another.

Hermione could only smile…

**_HPHG_**

The only way that Harry knew he would be able to get a hold of Scabbers was by going into Gryffindor Tower, which was actually what he intended to do as there were a few home truths he needed to learn about himself and, given that Harry was Lord of Gryffindor, he'd be able to find them with ease, even in the most secret of places within the Tower.

However, as he and Hermione returned to the Tower, flanked by the Order and Neville, the Holy Knight of Thunder's plans went down the drain as trouble was looming ahead of them.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Neville, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my -" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little.

He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

_That_ had Harry on full alert: Sirius? Sirius had attacked the Fat Lady?

'_No,_' Hermione commented over their bond, following Harry as they left the stairway, moving towards Godric's Wing, '_Sirius would never lie to you Harry: it can't have been him._'

"It wasn't," Harry answered out loud, opening the Wing and making his way inside, where he reached the main hall before he finally let go, "It was that fucking manipulative old bastard: I'd bet Excalibur on it!"

"Well there's one way to find out," Hermione suggested, before she led Harry into the library of Godric's Wing, the Holy Knight of Thunder watching as his betrothed led him to a rotunda with a stone pillar in the centre, a familiar red-robed, golden-sword bearing wizard was hung in a well-framed portrait.

"Godric Gryffindor," Harry gasped, "How did you…"

"Found his portrait in a musty cupboard in the Tower shortly before the end of September," Hermione explained, before she stepped forwards and addressed the portrait, "Beg your pardon Godric, but could you answer a question for us?"

"For my Heir and Heiress, of course," replied the original Gryffindor, "How can I help?"

"Well," Hermione answered, "We know that Hogwarts is tied to the four Founders and that their portraits, like this one, are kept in their Chambers; so, we were wondering if you could answer the question for us: who attacked the Fat Lady?"

"Ah," sighed Godric, "Poor Selene: yes I can, if only to avenge the honesty of my House and this institution: she was attacked, or rather _vandalised_ by the actions of Albus Dumbledore, but by the hand of one Ronald Weasley and Percy Weasley."

An ominous rumble of thunder suddenly filled the air, Hermione rounding quickly as she saw Harry glowing again, his silver eye shining brightly as he looked to the portrait, "Are you sure about that Master Godric?"

"Indeed I am, little Knight," answered Godric, "No doubt, they did it to get this reaction out of you."

"Well they have it," Harry snarled, a strong, icy wind blowing around him as he shook his head slowly, "It's time I stop pretending: how _dare_ that conniving old coot think he can take Sirius away from me! If it's the last thing I do, I will see Dumbledore fall from grace, before he falls by Excalibur's blade!"

Hermione could only watch with shock and a sense of equal determination as Harry pulled the power of his storm into himself, his silver eye now seemingly on permanent shine as a bolt of white lightning crossed the silver-coloured appendage, the storm's power echoing all around Hogwarts.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' Hermione thought, striding across the room and holding Harry in her arms, if only to calm him down, 'Welcome to the eye of the Hurricane.'

**A short Chapter 15, but enough for Harry to get himself back on track: so, the Hurricane within him has been unleashed once more, but who will ride out the storm and who will get struck by lightning?**

**Also, can Harry convince Amelia to give Sirius a chance and will he manage to get a hold of Scabbers?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Christmas is in the air and Remus would like to join Harry and Hermione; the Holy Knight of Thunder brings the power of the storm to Gryffindor when Hermione goes missing before the holidays and, when they are reunited, the Gryffindor Princess has a little gift for Harry in the form of a rat: can Harry keep his own cool or will he do what Sirius couldn't?**

**Please Read and Review…**


	16. Only Human

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 15:**

**You'reABirdOfTheSummer: There will be more Founder's input, but not until Harry and Hermione meet with the Lords of Nature in the summer before 4th Year;**

**Sexytorchy: There will be a few nice Slytherins pretty soon;**

**Crazyweirdbeautiful: Oh…now;**

**Dark mistress: what's that supposed to mean? If it's in regards to your comment, then I will, but I don't understand what you mean;**

**Budarthur: yeah, it was meant as a bit of humour that could lighten the mood;**

**Harryhermionealways: The storm isn't coming…it's here!**

**Cateagle: Oh don't worry; every villain gets his comeuppance and these guys are no exception;**

**StormyFireDragon: All in due time Storm; first, Harry has to learn more about who he is and THEN he can be ready to take down the MOB;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Right, thanks, I'll have to remember that;**

**Darkria088: Now while that can't happen in the real world, I'm sure I could write it as a dream for Harry; he needs something to put a smile back on his face;**

**Athenakitty: everyone will get exactly what they deserved; thanks for the reminder about the Dursleys: believe me, their storm is coming;**

**Aealket: There will be more Luna moments with Neville and the team as the story progresses;**

_Hermione could only watch with shock and a sense of equal determination as Harry pulled the power of his storm into himself, his silver eye now seemingly on permanent shine as a bolt of white lightning crossed the silver-coloured appendage, the storm's power echoing all around Hogwarts._

_'Ladies and gentlemen,' Hermione thought, striding across the room and holding Harry in her arms, if only to calm him down, 'Welcome to the eye of the Hurricane.'_

Chapter 16: Only Human

After the attack on the Fat Lady, though Harry, the Order, Neville and Tonks knew the truth, the dual-Founder's heir instructed them to leave things as they were for now. If he revealed what he knew too soon, then Dumbledore would be on his case and Harry would never be able to put his plan into action; when Tonks asked him if there was anything that she could do to help, Harry gave her an appreciative nod before he told her to make sure her boss, his Vassal, cleared her Christmas schedule and that she would meet Harry on Christmas Eve at the house.

That just left one question in Harry's mind: how was he supposed to get a hold of Pettigrew now that the Tower was being watched by a rather idiotic portrait named Sir Cadogan? The inhabitant of the portrait had about as many brains as Weasley had balls and he wouldn't hesitate to spill the beans on Harry being there, which would give Dumbledore a reason to keep Harry there.

Not that the old man didn't try: when Harry met with Professor McGonagall before the end of November, telling her that he was going home for Christmas, Harry found out that the Headmaster had requested him to stay for _safety reasons_ concerning the recent attack. Harry sunk that idea like the Titanic, his authority as Holy Knight coming in _very_ handy as he explained – seemingly for the 1000th time – that he was going back to Mr and Mrs Granger, his legal guardians; that he was being protected by an Auror and the Order and that he would have his weapon at his side…as always.

Once again, Dumbledore was defeated and Harry was looking forwards to a Christmas away from Hogwarts, his seemingly hurricane-preceding attitude vanishing with each day…at least until the last week of term.

Returning from one of his usual meetings with Hagrid concerning his familiar, Harry walked towards Godric's Wing when a cold feeling passed through his body, the whole school seemingly sharing that feeling as an icy front blew through the corridors, startling even Severus Snape who was working on some private work.

Turning on his heel, Harry made his way down to Gryffindor Tower, his face set in a stern expression as he hissed, "Listen you useless portrait, open this entrance _now!_"

"Ah," Sir Cadogan laughed, "A challenge: very well fiend: I accept!"

Harry sighed, before he drew Excalibur from its sheath, his eyes both flashing with raw magic as he hissed, "You challenge _me?_ You must have a death wish; now open this entrance before I make you experience what the Fat Lady went through."

The entrance opened and Harry walked in, his eyes scanning the Common Room, his presence startling the few Gryffindors nearby as he asked, "Is anything amiss here?"

"No Harry," answered Lavender Brown, "Oh, but Hermione did come in earlier; then she got a letter."

"A letter?" asked Harry, "From whom?"

"Well…you," Lavender answered, "Didn't you ask her to meet you in the place where you first became friends for a private discussion…"

She didn't get a chance to finish; Harry had turned on his heel and raced down the stairs, moving towards the girls bathroom where he had first made friends with his brown-haired betrothed, Excalibur's blade suddenly glowing as it sensed magic at work here.

Harry didn't bother with subtlety this time: a familiar feeling of protectiveness rose within him, seemingly summoning the four winds from all around him as he stood before the door, Excalibur shining brighter than ever. Using only his will to protect his girl, Harry summoned the power of the wind and coalesced its energy into a single, powerful tornado that sent the door flying off its hinges, just as a familiar cry came from within.

"Hermione!" Harry roared, moving like lightning, his eyes narrowed dangerously, his silver eye suddenly looking more like a fog barrier than its usual shining lightning appearance as he saw just what was going on.

Crabbe and Goyle, hearing Harry's cry, had turned to intercept the threat, but not before Harry had called on the power of his Storm side and used the time of year as an inspiration. Sweeping Excalibur forwards, Harry sealed Crabbe and Goyle in place, a veil seemingly made from ice and snow freezing the two gorillas where they stood, the sound of a cubicle opening and, before he knew what was going on, Harry found himself under attack from a brown-haired missile.

'_Kitten?_' asked Harry, suddenly discovering his bond to be stronger than before.

'_Sparky?_' asked Hermione, '_It is you: I'm sorry; I was only trying to help: he tricked me._'

'_Hush Kitten,_' Harry replied, running his hand through her brown hair, looking over her shoulder as he told her, '_I'm here now._'

Gently nudging her aside, Harry stood tall and proud as he declared, "There's only one person in this school those two thugs would listen to: show yourself Malfoy!"

Malfoy appeared from the same cubicle that Hermione had been in, but he wasn't alone: Ron Weasley accompanied him, his trousers almost undone, his face showing a look of rage and a shiner that would be there for some time.

"You…sick…bastards," Harry snarled, "What the fuck were you thinking of doing to her?"

"Teaching filth like her a lesson she won't forget," Ron laughed, "She took away our friendship Harry; she needed to be punished. After all, I'm the only one who could ever truly love her: what could you love about someone like _her?_"

"Oh I don't know Ron," Harry replied, the hurricane that had been building up now blowing through the bathroom, Ron and Draco being pushed against the wall where they hung like ornaments, Ron's trousers now falling to the floor with the impact of the wind. Harry, keeping a very close eye on his Hermione, continued, "Maybe it's her kind heart, her willingness to forgive and forget, her honesty, her sheer raw magical presence or maybe, _just_ maybe, I love her for being _her._"

"What?" asked Draco, "A sick, bookworm of a Mudblood who thinks she's good enough to share the same breathing space as purebloods like us?"

"Malfoy," Harry growled, "Wrong question!"

Excalibur's blade began to crackle and spark, Harry's silver eye now glowing with the full power of the elements at his command as he pushed his sword outwards, the blade unleashing a torrent of white lightning that struck Malfoy, Harry's voice cutting into him. "That's for calling her a Mudblood!"

He then turned his lightning on Ron, the red-headed asshole screaming as the full power of the storm coursed through him, "That's for doing what I sincerely hope you _weren't_ trying to do."

Lowering Excalibur, Harry then sheathed his sword, placed his hands together, a torrent of ice, snow, fire and lightning all coming together as he looked to the two guilty party, his voice now like thunder as he boomed, "And this is for trying to think that you could harm my Hermione and get away with it!"

Thrusting his hands out, Harry watched as the four elemental powers coalesced and struck the two still hanging wizards, Malfoy suddenly becoming a mix of ice and fire that formed hard crystal, sealing him in place while Ron was less lucky; the snow and rain from Harry's summoned storm enveloped him before the lightning appeared to burnish the collection of elements, freezing him in place, both of them looking more like Christmas Tree decorations than proud wizards.

Lowering his hands, Harry stepped back, the winds dying down, Hermione moving slowly to his side as she asked, "How…how did you…"

"You'd be surprised what I can do when my girl is in danger," Harry remarked, before he put his arm around her and kissed her on the lips, Hermione melting into his embrace, Harry then aware of her hand going to his pocket as they parted.

"Why didn't you confirm that letter with the bond?" asked Harry, placing his forehead against Hermione's, "I would never deceive you Kitten; you know that."

"I do," Hermione replied, "I'm sorry Sparky: I did consider confirming it, but then something appeared to call me here; I think the parchment was laced with charms."

"Did," Harry asked, a growl to his voice as he held Hermione, "Did…they _do_ anything to you?"

"They tried," Hermione replied, "Malfoy said he wasn't going to soil himself with me, so Ron told me that he was going to make sure I was his: Harry, I was so scared."

"Hush Kitten," Harry replied, running a soft hand through her hair, "I'm here now: they'll never touch you again."

As they walked out of the bathroom, Harry drawing all of the power of the Storm into himself as he tried to return to his normal attitude, he heard Hermione then ask him, "Aren't you going to see what I put in your pocket?"

Looking at her, Harry reached down with his hand and his eyes widened when he felt fur and what seemed like buck teeth on his fingers; clasping the object, Harry pulled his hand out and revealed the toe-less form of Peter Pettigrew.

'Wormtail,' Harry thought, 'You traitor: if I didn't need you now, I'd skin you alive!'

Replacing the rat in his pocket, Harry asked, "How did you do it?"

"Easy," Hermione answered, "After Sirius told us about him, I had Dobby keep an eye on things: the little guy told me that the rat was in the Tower and he froze him for us."

"Did he?" asked Harry, smiling with a sad expression as he held onto his betrothed, "Remind me to thank him, would you Hermione?"

**_HPHG_**

There were only a few hours to go and then Harry would be free to leave Hogwarts and be with his family: thanks to his little additions to the punishment against those slimy Slytherins and that cloth-brained tomato, no-one would even find them until the first day back and, judging from the amount of power that Harry had displayed, the Holy Knight of Thunder found it hard not to laugh as he pictured Ickle Ronniekins wrapped in a blankie while Mummy fed him soup, Draco shivering through his teeth. Even now, Harry could imagine what Draco would say as soon as they were found: _w-w-when m-my F-F-Father hears a-a-about this._

'Bring him on,' thought Harry, looking out of the window that he held within Godric's Wing, 'In fact, bring on the whole bloody Ministry if he needs to. No-one harms my Hermione and gets away with it and I highly doubt that Fudge would last very long when the papers find out that it was a Holy Knight who was attacked. Sometimes,' he laughed as he withdrew Excalibur from his belt, his eyes on the sword as it shone in the late afternoon sunlight, 'I look back and I find myself loving the day that I gained this weapon all over again.'

"Harry? Can I come in?"

Turning his head, Harry was slightly surprised as to the owner of the voice, let alone that they had used his name, before he nodded and answered, "Come in Tyler; I'm alone."

The door opened and the dark-eyed warrior stepped inside, his silver-streaked hair the only other thing that stood out among the wintry scene; seeing Harry there, his back to him, Tyler cleared his throat before he spoke up, "Sebastian wanted to know whether or not you'd like us to stay here over the summer or…"

"Come with me," Harry replied, "Mum and Dad would like it and, besides, you guys have sort of become like an extended family to me; so, come with me. Also, nice work there Ty."

"Ty?" asked the warrior, looking to his charge as he waited for a response.

"Sure," Harry answered, "Short for Tyler; well, why not? Sebastian is known as Seba to Remus and I; why shouldn't I have nicknames for the rest of you? Also, as to why I said nice work: you were finally able to use my name without falling over yourself to respect me."

"I…I have had help," Tyler admitted, "Tonks; she's quite a big help because of what she said to me."

"Oh?" asked Harry, a smile crossing his face as he asked, "What was that?"

"She said that we should see you less as our lord and more as a friend," Tyler explained, "Only seeing you as our lord when it was appropriate: Dante and Felicia agree with her, but Sebastian still sees you as his superior, using your informal title as and when it's necessary."

"Ah-ha," Harry nodded, before he noted one missing as he asked, "And what about Elora?"

"She's…still making her mind up," Tyler admitted, "She's been kind of distracted lately: ever since Sirius came to Hogwarts and…oh," he added, quickly changing his tone as Harry gripped the hilt of Excalibur rather tightly, "I'm sorry Harry, I mean ever since they made it _appear_ like he came to Hogwarts. You know, between you and me; I think she has a thing for him."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Harry laughed, "From what I learned from Professor Lupin; Sirius was quite the ladies man back in the day."

"Oh," added Tyler, "That's the other thing: Professor Lupin…I mean Remus called just now and asked if I could pass on a message?"

"And what was the message?"

"He wants to know if you'd like some friendly company over the holidays," Tyler explained, "I told him I'd get the answer as soon as humanly possible: so, what do you say?"

'_Hermione?_' asked Harry, using the bond to seek out his betrothed.

'_Here Harry,_' came the reply, '_Downstairs with Luna and Neville and, to answer what you're going to ask: I don't see the problem…well, except one._'

'_Sirius,_' Harry agreed, '_It's going to be hard enough convincing Amelia to leave him be: those two are old friends, so it'll only make it harder._'

'_Then say yes,_' Hermione offered, '_If need be, he can request sanctuary under your House or under the Holy Knights; and, with THREE of those there, Amelia won't be able to argue against it._'

'_Thanks love,_' Harry agreed, before he closed the link and, turning to Tyler, replied, "It's a yes."

**_HPHG_**

On their last night in Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna all met up in the Godric's Wing Common Room, four warm mugs of hot chocolate between them, a roaring fire – no pun intended – filling the lion-shaped fireplace, Hermione nestled comfortably in Harry's lap while Neville and Luna appeared to be sharing the same space, Luna seated on the floor between Neville's legs while Neville sat comfortably on a large leather chair.

"Well," Harry sighed, "This Christmas is going to be interesting: Neville, are you sure that you and Luna are ready for this?"

"I am Harry," Neville answered, looking to his blood-brother as he spoke, "I've already sent the owl to Gran saying that I'll be with you this Christmas: she only asks that she can come to the Hollow with us."

"She can," Harry replied, "But this time, I'll protect it personally: I've been looking into ways I can use Excalibur and, it turns out that, if I place it into the floor of a particular building that I own, I can ward that building with Excalibur. Then, with a drop of blood from any and all that I trust, I can personally decide who can come and go as they please and who can't."

"Sounds like an interesting power," Luna commented, Harry smiling as he saw her toying with one of Neville's shoelaces like a cat, "When do you need the blood?"

"I'll be doing it on our first night," Harry explained, "We'll have the weekend at Mum and Dad's and then move onto the Hollow: also, there's something I'd like to say to you two."

"What's that?" asked Neville, gesturing his fingers to the flames, the warm fire now rising and changing colour, a warm red fire burning in the hearth.

"Someone's been practicing," Hermione smiled, Harry nodding in agreement.

"I'd like you two to stop beating about the bush," he explained, looking to Neville, "You're my brother Neville and I've seen how you and Luna get on: so, get on with it and ask her already. Hell, if you want to, just say the word and I'll see about Knighting her as one of us so that the two of you can be closer than a normal couple."

"You'd…you'd do that?" asked Neville, "For me?"

"For all of us," Harry answered, "All you have to do is ask; I don't need your answer now Neville, but promise me that you'll stop beating about the bush."

"I promise," Neville replied, before he reached down and, taking one of Luna's hands, went straight for the bulls-eye as he asked, "Luna Lovegood, would you allow me the honour and pleasure of calling you my girlfriend?"

Luna. In complete contrast to her usual dreamy behaviour, leaped from her seat and turned, before, in the presence of the two other Holy Knights, she planted a kiss on Neville's lips, Harry and Hermione both aware of a light glow that enveloped the two friends as she whispered, "Yes Neville Longbottom, I will."

'_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_' asked Hermione, watching as the glow faded.

'_Oh yeah,_' Harry replied, '_But it surprises me: Ragnok told me that I was the last of them._'

'_We'll have to wait and see,_' Hermione replied, '_For now, we can be happy for them, which reminds me you: where's my kiss?_'

"Right here Kitten," Harry replied out loud, before he banished his mug and proceeded to give his girlfriend an early Christmas kiss, the four friends just knowing that Harry's prediction would be proven right;

This was going to be an interesting Christmas…

**_HPHG_**

As the Hogwarts Express reached King's Cross, Neville and Luna both promised that they would meet Harry and Hermione at the Grangers on Monday, before Harry found himself being pulled by Hermione towards the barrier, Sebastian and the Order bringing up the rear with their trunks and the pets' cages. No sooner were they through the barrier before Harry had a feeling of déjà vu as he saw Hermione rush into her parents' arms, Emma hugging her daughter while Dan smiled and inclined his head to Harry.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you alive and well Harry," Dan explained, holding out his hand, almost expecting Harry to shake it; instead, the Holy Knight of Thunder surprised them both when he ran into Dan's arms, the male Granger putting his arm around Harry's shoulders like any Father.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you again…Dad," Harry replied, watching as Emma and Hermione looked to him, the Holy Knight of Ocean smiling as she saw Harry as a kid again.

"He's missed us," Emma whispered, Hermione hearing the sadness in her Mother's voice.

"Can you blame him?" she asked, "After the term we've had: Dumbledore sticking his nose in, Harry discovering a few home truths; oh…and then there's the Boggart."

"The what?" asked Dan, watching as he released Harry, who then found himself being welcomed by Emma, the elder female placing a motherly kiss on his forehead.

"Later," Hermione replied, following her parents out of the train station where she was surprised to find Sebastian and the Order already packed, all of them waiting on Harry.

"Have they managed to lose some of their…nobility?" laughed Dan, watching as Emma helped Harry into the back seat of their car.

"Most of them," Hermione explained, her eyes then noticing that their things had been shrunken down slightly so that they fit; shaking her head, she continued, "Tyler's more like a close friend to Harry; Dante seems to remind him of you Daddy and Felicia is more big sister material than noble warrior. Sadly, old habits die hard as Sebastian proves and Elora's been in a world of her own, but we manage okay."

"Would you like one of us to come with you Harry?" asked Tyler suddenly, watching as Harry wiped his eye and looked to his warriors.

"You can Ty," Harry answered, "The rest of you Apparate to the Grangers; Hermione and I will join you shortly: oh, and Sebastian?"

"Yes Harry?" asked the commander, moving to the window.

"When you get there, you'll find a certain large black dog waiting: give him this message from me: tell him that his pup and his brother in all but blood are spending the holiday together and that I'll talk to him when we get there."

"As you command," Sebastian then turned on his heel and the Grangers gasped as they witnessed Apparition for the first time, Tyler taking the seat behind Dan while Harry and Hermione sat behind Emma, their car pulling out of the station as they made their way back to the Grangers home in Crawley.

As they travelled, Dan decided to go back to what he'd said in the station, "So, what's a Boggart and how has it affected your term?"

"Dad," Hermione gasped, but she was cut off when Harry placed his hand on hers, his heterochromic eyes on Dan as he spoke.

"It's a long story Dad; but the heads and tails of it is that it was a ploy set up by Dumbledore to force me to lose confidence in Hermione. A Boggart," he continued, seeing Dan's face take on an almost angered look, "Is a creature that takes the shape of a person's worst fears, such as our ex-friend Ron and spiders or me and what I originally thought to be Dementors."

"Those things that attacked you on the train?" asked Emma.

"That's them," Hermione answered, "But Harry has an advantage over them that most wizards don't…namely Excalibur: when the Dementor came close, his magic reacted and what we now know to be called a Patronus came from the sword and helped keep the Dementor away. A Boggart has a similar effect and, because of how it made him feel, Harry thought his Boggart would become a Dementor…"

"But it didn't," Harry replied and Emma suddenly shivered as she heard a cold tone to his voice: was the blackness that she had worked so hard to release him from returning?

Keeping her voice calm, Emma asked, "What…what did it become?"

"Hermione," Harry answered, "And…the things she said…I…I still have nightmares."

"Then that definitely sounds like Dumbledore's work," Dan commented, pulling away from London and on the road towards Crawley, "He'd do anything to separate you two."

"So we know," Harry remarked, before he lowered his voice and muttered, "Such as an attempted rape on my…"

He didn't get a chance to finish: Dan swerved and slammed his foot on the brakes so hard that Harry wouldn't have been surprised if the man had penetrated the base of the car; pulling into a turn-off along the road, Dan stopped the car, climbed out, walked round the car and opened Harry's door.

"Out," he whispered, "Now."

"Dad," Hermione pleaded, "Please…don't do anything…please."

"Harry," Dan hissed, "Out."

Harry unbuckled his belt and stepped out of the car, Dan looking around as he then spotted a small alleyway; pointing to it, he said, "There; follow me: Emma, perhaps you should drive on."

"No," Hermione pleaded, "Please Daddy…please!"

"It's okay Kitten," Harry remarked, earning a sad smile from Emma as he spoke to Hermione, "I half expected this: wait here; this won't take long."

Following Dan into the alleyway, Harry waited five seconds before he practically felt it coming, but he didn't move as Dan's hand impacted with the side of his face, a familiar feeling of uselessness creeping up on him as Dan spoke. "You _promised_ me Harry Potter: you swore that you would look after her."

"I…I'm sorry," Harry gasped, rubbing his cheek where Dan had struck him, "I didn't know about it until the last second, but rest assured that I made sure the guilty party got what they deserved."

"Some asshole tried to rape her?" asked Dan, now grabbing Harry's collar and lifting the Holy Knight off the ground.

'Merlin, he's strong,' Harry thought, the same feeling of fear and uselessness in front of him as he just nodded, Dan's fist now impacting with Harry's chest.

"I…I tried," Harry coughed, "I…got there…before anything could…happen; Dan…I would…never leave her…"

"Harry," Dan gasped, his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, "She's my daughter; my only child and you _let_ her be fooled: you're her betrothed for God's sake!"

"I _know!_" yelled Harry, looking up, a bolt of lightning striking the wall just inches from Dan's head; staggering to his feet, Harry coughed once as he whispered, "I…I know; I may be all-powerful and a highly-respected member of the wizarding world, but I'm not fucking Superman: don't you think I was scared when I realised I'd failed her? Failed you? Failed Emma? How do you think I felt Daniel Granger? Like I was on top of the fucking world?"

Dan saw the redness that Harry had gained from his attack, his own eyes suddenly wide as he realised what he had done: he had hurt Harry; beaten him: _him!_ The same boy who, not five months ago had risked life and limb to protect him from the monsters he _had_ called his relatives. Looking to Harry's chest, Dan gulped hard before he tried to speak, "Harry…I…I didn't…I'm…"

"I felt exactly what I felt against that Boggart," Harry replied, his silver eye now sharing the tears that were forming in his emerald eye, "When I faced it, it told me that I had killed Hermione, I had failed her; that I was no Knight, but a Demon. And that was how I felt when I realised just how close Hermione had come to permanent damage, the kind that not even my powers could repair: I didn't feel like the Big Holy Knight of Thunder; I felt like I was the boy you saw lying in your living room over the summer; weak and broken. I'd do _anything_ Dan to go back and change what happened, but I know that if I did, then they'd just find another way to get to me. I'm sorry I failed you, failed Hermione, but I am only mortal and I will never again risk anything save my own mortality to keep her safe."

Dan felt an iron weight of guilt in his heart as he watched Harry check over himself, the red mark clear on his cheek as he turned his head away, clearly not wanting to let Dan see him cry. Once again, Dan recalled the conversation he'd had with Emma about Harry as a warrior and about his blackness: if he didn't do something, then there was the chance that blackness would come back.

Walking towards Harry, Dan actually tensed up when he saw Harry flinch away, his eyes closed as if he was preparing for another strike, but instead, Dan put his arms around Harry and held him close, his hands moving through Harry's hair as he spoke. "I'm sorry son; I really am: I didn't think about it from your side, but she's my daughter; my family. You _both_ are and for anything like that to happen…to _either_ of you would make me feel like I had lost everything. I didn't mean to hurt you Harry; I just saw red; I vow never to lay a finger on you or Hermione ever again, okay?"

"Dan…" Harry began, but stopped when he found the man's arms around him, offering him the one thing that the Dursleys would never have done after a beating: warmth, comfort and a second chance. Returning the embrace, Harry whispered, "Dad; I'll try harder…I swear it."

"You don't need to swear it," Dan told him, running a gentle hand against the red mark on Harry's cheek, "I know that hell would sooner freeze over before you willingly let Hermione get hurt; come on son…let's go home."

Back in the car, Dan switched sides with Emma while Hermione lay Harry's head in her lap, the Holy Knight of Ocean in tears herself as she saw the damage done to her boyfriend.

'_Don't worry Kitten,_' Harry remarked, his pains passing as he told her, '_I've felt worse: he was just being a Father._'

'_I know that Sparky,_' Hermione replied, placing a soft kiss on Harry's lips as she looked to her Father, an apologetic look in his eyes as he looked to his daughter.

"I'll never harm him again," Dan told her, Harry sighing with contentment as Hermione's hands did their job again, "Either of you; I'm sorry Princess."

"Don't be Dad," Harry replied, looking towards Dan as their journey continued, "Let me be sorry for both of us."

"Of course son," Dan replied, Hermione growing happier by the second at this family moment, her eyes catching sight of Emma as she drove them home.

She, like Hermione, was crying tears of joy…

**Chapter 16 and Harry has learned that every action has a reaction, but can he be redeemed in Dan's eyes and vice versa or will the blackness that Emma fears return?**

**Also, how will old friends react to seeing one another when Sirius meets Remus at Godric's Hollow?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: As the holidays get underway, Harry clears the air with Sirius about what happened on Halloween and Amelia arrives: will Sirius be forced to run? Also, Godric's Hollow reveals a few new gifts for Harry and Hermione and a surprise concerning the glow that surrounded Neville and Luna; and, to top it all off, Christmas is here and the Family enjoy their time together with Dan and Emma having a private talk with Sirius and Harry…**

**Please Read and Review…**


	17. White Knight, Black Christmas

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 16:**

**Zamia: Maybe the reaction was a bit extreme, but everything has an explanation;**

**Harpotfan: as I said to the last reviewer, everything has an explanation; also, Hermione did ask her Father what he was doing, but he IS her Father;**

**Airlady: Thanks, they took some creativity, but it got the message across;**

**StormyFireDragon: Cheers Storm, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter; you'll LOVE this one;**

**Loki Palmer: (takes a bow) thank you; you're too kind;**

**T4: No, I decided to have a go at a canon-attitude Draco, but things may change later on, given what's going to happen with Tom;**

**MariusDarkwolf: Harry may be his usual anti-Dumbledore that I write him as, but he's not dark in this one;**

**Harryhermionealways: everything has an explanation, but it's safe to say that Harry will get stronger from the experience;**

**Aealket: Who's saying she won't? Also, if you think that the Frozen Ferret and Frozen Weasel are getting off lightly, then clearly you don't realise that the fun is just beginning;**

_"I'll never harm him again," Dan told her, Harry sighing with contentment as Hermione's hands did their job again, "Either of you; I'm sorry Princess."_

_"Don't be Dad," Harry replied, looking towards Dan as their journey continued, "Let me be sorry for both of us."_

_"Of course son," Dan replied, Hermione growing happier by the second at this family moment, her eyes catching sight of Emma as she drove them home._

_She, like Hermione, was crying tears of joy…_

Chapter 17: White Knight, Black Christmas

When the Grangers' car drove into their driveway, Harry now calm and comforted by the warm touch of his betrothed, the Holy Knight of Thunder sat up and, looking to Dan, heaved a sigh as he asked, "Dad, can we have a word before you go in?"

"Of course," Dan replied, seeing the determination and expression of remorse in Harry's eyes; turning to Emma, Dan shrugged as he replied, "You take Hermione inside dear; we won't be long."

As Hermione placed a light kiss on Harry's cheek, she warned him, '_Don't you dare try playing the hero again Harry Potter: I know you too well._'

'_I'm not going to do that Kitten,_' Harry replied, enjoying the warm touch of his girlfriend's lips against his cheek, '_I'm just going to clear the air: you go inside and see if the old dog's still there. If he is, tell him what's happened but then, for the love of God, don't let him come out here._'

Hermione replied to Harry's request with another light kiss, before she followed her mother and Tyler inside the house, Harry aware of the other Order members waiting for them near the door. Once the coast was clear, Harry moved into the front seat next to Dan where he could speak freely, the two of them seemingly silent for a moment before Harry shook his head and asked, "Did…did I disappoint you Dad?"

"No Harry," Dan replied, grateful that this young man still had the respect towards him to call him Dad; it showed that the blackness in him wasn't around. "I…I didn't mean to hurt you: I was just…just so angry: she's my little girl and I'd hate for anything to happen to her."

"I know you would," Harry replied, aware of a pair of eyes watching from the doorway; looking up, the Holy Knight smiled as he saw Sebastian observing their conversation, a look of confusion and hidden rage clear in his face. With a chuckle, Harry remarked, "I think Seba wants your head."

"He can have it," Dan answered, smiling with Harry as he commented, "I don't know why I did what I did: Harry, when I saw you, I was so happy and relieved that you were all right, but then you said those words and I felt angry…and I've never been angry, at least never to a child. I couldn't even fault my own little girl, so I don't know why…"

"I think I do," Harry replied, before Dan gasped as Harry revealed Excalibur, the blade's metal singing as its master held it before the elder Granger. Seemingly observing his reflection in the sword, Harry continued, "When Hermione was…taken from me, she said that it was like she couldn't control it, as if the reason for her being where the attack happened was due to what's known as a compulsion charm. Now," he looked to Dan, his silver eye glowing dimly as he spoke, "If I have your permission, Dad, I'd like to use my newfound powers to see whether or not you've been affected by these charms."

"Of course you have my permission Harry," Dan replied almost instantly, "Anything to clear the air between us: but before you do, I need to ask: why wouldn't Emma be affected by them?"

"Why else?" Harry retorted, "I call her Mum and she sees me as her son: that's a kind of bond that only my real Mother, Merlin rest her soul, could ever match. I highly doubt that kind of love and respect could be beaten no matter how powerful the spell was, especially when you consider how it is that I'm _supposedly_ protected."

"Huh?" asked Dan.

"My Mother," Harry explained, "She died protecting me, supposedly creating a shield around me from some of the oldest, unknown, unexplored magic in the world: the power of love. Now, if that's true, then it's clear to me that Mum feels the same and that love protected her and seemed to redirect the power onto you."

"Hence the physical abuse," Dan nodded, "Which I can never stop being sorry for Harry, so please, do whatever you need to son."

"Thanks," Harry replied, laying Excalibur across his lap, before he looked deep into Dan's dark eyes, the Holy Knight sensing the presence of his betrothed as she seemed to enhance his skills through their bond. With a slow smile, Harry delved into Dan's mind and, as he had feared, he found several powerful compulsion charms, all of them tied to Harry and all of them designed to give Dan the kind of attitude that Harry would have experienced with the Dursleys.

'Bastard,' Harry thought coldly, Excalibur suddenly glowing with raw magic as the silver eye of the Holy Knight shone just as brightly, Harry now gathering all of his own magic into one Parseltongue command, {Release!}

There was a moment of silence before Dan shuddered and Harry pulled out of his mental scan, a sad, almost forced, smile crossing his face; seeing the expression, Dan asked, "Did you remove them?"

"I did," Harry replied, "Since Hermione and I underwent the Ritual of Release, my own magical prowess has increased ten-fold: if I were a normal third-year, I'd probably exhaust myself, but thankfully, I also happen to have my betrothed helping me and the power of the Holy Sword to back me up. I'm sorry that you were dragged into Dumbledore's manipulations Dad and I'm sorry if you ever thought me a failure towards Hermione. I promise you that I'll keep my word and protect her with my own life in future."

"I know you will son," Dan smiled, extending his arms to Harry, the Holy Knight allowing his child side to come out as he felt himself being embraced with the love and comfort that, since September First, he had been sorely missing.

Leaving the car, Dan watched as Harry stepped inside, the elder Granger following lightly; however, as he stepped through the door, Dan actually felt scared as a thick male voice demanded, "DANIEL GRANGER; WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING LAYING YOUR HANDS ON MY GODSON?"

"Ah," Dan laughed, looking to a now trimmed Sirius Black, his Azkaban robes replaced by a set that Harry had seen delivered to the Grangers' home, "You must be Sirius; pleased to meet you."

Sirius, trying to look intimidating and frightening, broke with the calmness and demeanour of the man before him, the ex-prisoner breaking down in fits of hysterics as he looked to Harry, "Sorry pup, I tried."

"No worries Sirius," Harry replied, watching as Dan and Sirius shook hands, the two sides of his life – magic and Muggle – united with the one motion.

**_HPHG_**

Once Harry had seen to the few light bruises that Dan's compelled attacks had given him – with a little help from Dobby – he found himself sitting in the middle of Emma and Hermione, Sirius sitting in a chair behind the living room door, his lithe form almost hidden from view as Dan sat in the other chair. Sebastian and the Order were seeing to their own tasks and Harry was now waiting on the arrival of Remus to complete this little set: when he had told Sirius of Remus' invite, the Marauder had seen the joke and the opportunity that he had waited twelve years for all come together.

While they waited, Sirius laughed again as he asked, "So, you really do care for Harry do you?"

"We do," Dan replied; he had been a _little_ hostile when he learned that this man had been Harry's pet over the summer, but, when he'd received Hermione's letter explaining everything, Dan had seen that Sirius was just as loyal to those he cared for as Harry, the ex-prisoner not spending one single day, until today, out of his form as Padfoot. Dan, seeing Sirius' nod of acceptance, continued, "Sirius, you didn't see what Harry was willing to do for me last summer. Those…_monsters_ decided to grab him and dare to call him their property; then, when I tried to help Harry, he ended up getting hurt. Well, the fat one wasn't going to accept that, so he tried to attack me, but, yet again, Harry saved a Granger from danger and jumped in the way of the attack."

"Do you remember what I said when you asked me?" asked Harry, shuddering slightly as to how calm and how different he had been not five months ago.

"I do," Dan answered, "You said it was a flesh wound and that he was losing his touch: to be perfectly honest Harry, you scared the hell out of me, but also earned my respect in that single moment."

"Hence the reason we became his guardians," Emma commented dryly, "I wanted to show Harry that not everyone was like those who dare to call him a freak and Dan wanted some way to keep Harry from getting hurt again."

"If only he'd remembered that earlier," Harry laughed, massaging his chest where Dan's fist had come into contact with him. "Merlin Dad, you're actually pretty strong."

"He's ex-Police," Emma remarked, "Used to work on the streets and late-night shifts on a weekend: he needed to be tough."

"Why did you quit?" asked Sirius, "Lily, Harry's birth Mother, used to tell me about those policemen, so why would you…"

"In a word," Emma replied, "Hermione: when she was born, Dan refused to put his safety and his life before the happiness and care of his child, so he took his medical experience and joined me in the dentist industry."

"Which is also why I did feel angry when Harry told me what happened," Dan explained to Sirius, "I thought that he couldn't care for her and…"

"And you're a Grade O idiot Dan," Sirius laughed, "I've seen these two together: hell, Harry wouldn't even let _me_ anywhere near Hermione and, when we met, what was it that you said to me pup?"

Harry laughed as he recalled his words, "I said that to hurt me, you'd have to get through Excalibur and I didn't want you thinking I wouldn't use it; even when you explained things, I still couldn't hurt you and I told you to run."

"Which he did," Hermione put in, "Until he met us in Hogsmeade and that was _after_ Dumbledore had tried to stop Harry from going."

"What?" asked Emma, "Why would he do that?"

"The same reason he tried to place compulsion charms on you and Dad," Harry explained, "To get to me: I think Dumbledore knows – and if he doesn't, then he certainly does now – about my being a Holy Knight and wants to use that power to aid his own purpose; not to mention this fake prophecy he thinks I'll fulfill."

"There's a point," Dan then added, "What did Sirius mean by a Grade O idiot? The term, Mr Black, is a Grade _A _idiot."

"He was speaking as a wizard," Hermione explained, "In our world, O is the highest mark; it stands for Outstanding; then there's EE, which is Exceeds Expectations, followed by _our_ A, which stands for Acceptable. Then below them we have P, D and T, which stand for Poor, Dreadful and Troll; in other words, a failed mark."

"And," Harry chuckled, giving his girlfriend a quick kiss on the cheek, "Time was; that would have had my Hermione rocking backwards and forwards on the mat, wondering where she could have gone wrong."

"Now who's the Grade O idiot?" Hermione remarked, looking to Harry as she smiled at him, "I still worry about my marks, but now I have something slightly more important: a certain Knight by the name of Harry James Potter."

"Love you too Kitten," Harry replied, before they heard gagging noises from Sirius as they shared a kiss; when they parted, Harry looked to his godfather as he commented dryly, "Now, now Padfoot; don't get jealous, which reminds me," he looked up to Emma as he asked, "Mum, where did I put the Codex?"

"Upstairs on the top shelf in your room," Emma replied, watching as Harry flicked his wand once, the Potter Codex flying into his hand; seeing the magic in action, Sirius gawped.

"Harry…how are you…" he began, but was cut off when Harry gave him an incredulous look.

"Come on Sirius," he groaned, "Surely you don't forget the allowance given to me by Amelia on my birthday? Well, now that I'm back with Mum and Dad, I can use magic outside Hogwarts. Anyway," he opened the Codex and Hermione watched as he turned to the section on his new blood-brother, Neville's name now outlined by a string of golden ink and beneath that, written in silver were the words _Luna Lovegood; SB._

"SB?" Asked Harry, "Sirius Black?"

"While those _are_ my initials," Sirius groaned, "In a Codex, there are certain…well codes to a family member or a vassal; now, in this case, SB actually stands for Soul Bonded!"

"Soul Bond?" asked Hermione, looking to Harry as the penny seemed to drop, "That explains the glow: Luna and Neville must be Soul Mates."

"Must be," Harry agreed, lifting his head as he called out, "D-"

The House Elf appeared in a crack, his robe bearing the Potter Crest as well as Harry's Holy Knight moniker – the white phoenix over the lightning bolt – as he asked, "Harry Potter summons Dobby sir?"

"I swear this little guy's a psychic," Harry laughed, before he nodded and answered his friend, "Yes Dobby, would you mind going to find Sebastian for me and then could you go and ask Neville and Luna to come here straight away? There are things we need to discuss and I think they'd best be done in person."

"Yes sir," Dobby bowed once to Harry and left with another crack, Harry shaking his head slowly as he looked to Sirius.

"What?" he asked, "He respects me so much that little guy: I think I need to reward him."

"I gathered that much," Sirius commented, "I was just so stunned that you had a House Elf at such a young age pup: how did you do it?"

"It's a long story," Harry replied, before he was cut off by the sound of knocking at the door, "And we don't have time to tell it: you'd better change back Sirius and I'll get the door."

Rising from his seat, Harry moved into the passageway, shaking his head at the way that Sirius had talked about Dobby's loyalty to him: it was almost like he was surprised to learn of such a loyal friend to his pup. Moving to the door, Harry smiled when he opened it and found not only Remus standing there but, to his surprise, both Amelia Bones and Professor McGonagall, both of whom smiled when they saw Harry standing there.

"Professors?" Harry asked, looking to Minerva, "Amelia, what can I do for you?"

"Well you invited me Harry," Remus replied, "May I come in?"

"Of course," Harry replied, before he looked to Amelia and Minerva as he asked, "But Amelia, Professor McGonagall, what are you two doing here?"

"Well," Amelia replied, "Tonks informed me that you wished to speak with me over the break and, from the way she told me, it sounded official, so I thought I'd get it done as soon as possible."

"And I am here Mr Potter," Minerva explained, "To ask you if all is well: you see, I overheard Albus talking to an unknown party and he spoke of charms and you being forced back…_there!_"

"Ah," Harry replied, heaving a sigh as he looked to the lounge: Sirius was going to _love_ this, "You'd better come in then; in fact, I'm glad you're here Minerva and, to answer your unasked question, yes, we've had a bit of trouble."

Moving through to the lounge, Harry smiled when he caught sight of Remus' eyes widening as he noticed Padfoot sat next to Harry's seat, the black dog turning his head to the side as he noticed Minerva and Amelia, the Vassal to Lord Potter petting the dog fondly as she conjured two extra seats, which she and Minerva occupied, before she asked, "So, what's been happening?"

"Dumbledore," Harry answered, "Whoever he was talking to knew of the charms: they were placed upon my guardians and, when Dad learned of what had occurred before the holidays, he…well, he hurt me."

"What?" asked Remus, looking to Dan in shock as he asked, "How could you? Harry's had nothing but good, borderline excellent things to say about you: why would you…"

"Remus," Harry snapped, "It's all right: calm down: as I said, this was all due to Dumbledore and, when we got home, I used my newfound powers and willingly entered Dan's mind where I found those compulsions. Apparently, somebody wanted me to experience the life I had with the Dursleys and, if I'm right, then the only reason that Mum wasn't affected was because of how she loves and respects me…like any Mother would their son."

"And I also notice that you finally refer to them as such," Amelia smiled, noticing Emma putting her arm around Harry lovingly.

However, Minerva was the one to ask it, "What _did_ happen before the holidays Lord Potter?"

"Okay," Harry sighed, "Firstly Minerva, could you please use my name when we're alone? Lord Potter is only reserved for those who haven't earned my respect yet; my friends call me Harry. Secondly, when you get back to Hogwarts, ask any of the staff to check the second-floor girls' bathroom: they'll find a couple of _chilled_ rodents hanging like Christmas Decorations."

"Harry," Amelia asked warily, "What did you do?"

"I'd rather not say," Harry answered, watching as Hermione shuffled into his embrace, "The memories affect my betrothed too badly."

"Harry," Amelia reminded him, "I _am_ your Vassal, a place that is awarded with the highest of honours; if anything you've done gets brought before the Minister, I _will_ vouch for you. Now tell me, my Lord, what happened and what did you do?"

"Mum," Harry spoke up, now looking to Emma, "Would you and Hermione mind going to make some drinks? I'd rather she not hear this again."

When Emma nodded, Harry waited until they were gone before he took a deep breath and, looking to Dan, gave a sigh of defeat as he added, "Before I explain this, I want you to know that I will never do anything potentially dangerous to anyone or anything without given reason. Also, I am willing to stand before any court and plead my case should those affected bring it on. Now, with that out of the way, I'll say it: last week, I was making my way back to Godric's Wing, which is the Founder's Chamber that Hermione and I have used for us and our friends; it's also been where Tonks and the Order have stayed. On the way back, I had this sudden rush of cold and made my way to Gryffindor Tower where I found Hermione having been sent a letter, asking her to meet where we'd first become friends."

"And where was this?" asked Minerva, her question earning an amused chuckle as Harry looked to her.

"You should know that Minerva; it's where a certain girl who has my heart lied to you for the first time," he laughed, before he grew serious again. "Once there, I found the door locked and barricaded and so, calling on my control over the power of the storms, I blew the door off and rushed into the room where I found Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle standing guard _outside _a cubicle. Well, I saw red: I froze them in place with help from a snowstorm and then, before I could ask any questions, Hermione had run into my arms and she was in tears."

"Oh no," Remus gasped; he seemed to understand where this was going.

"Oh yes," Harry replied, "Draco Malfoy had cornered her, but he wasn't alone: a certain _weasel_ was with him and, to put it lightly, his trousers were undone."

"You're not serious?" asked Minerva, Harry smirking as he heard a low growl from the mutt at his side; he had this inkling that Sirius would have made a joke about that.

"No, he's my godfather," Harry replied, earning a groan from Remus and a gasp of shock from Minerva as he added, "Yes I know who he is: anyway, back to what happened: well, once again, I saw red: as you well know Minerva, I won't let anyone hurt my Hermione and I had been feeling angry for some time. Guess what? The so-called Oncoming Storm that most of Gryffindor refer to when they speak of my anger? It came out: I used the four winds to hold Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy against the wall, Malfoy having the gall to insist that filth like my Hermione was unworthy to be in the same room as him. I couldn't, nor did I want to, hold back any longer: I don't know how I did it, but somehow, I manifested the four elements into fire, snow, ice and lightning before unleashing it on the two of them, freezing them both in place. Then, with Hermione safe and sound at my side, I left the room and left them hanging there: they've been there all week and, if I hadn't told you of this, then they would still be there on my first day back."

Minerva looked thunderstruck; Remus looked angry; Amelia looked horrified; even Dan was clenching his fists, but he held a look of mixed pride as he seemed to understand what Harry had meant by the way he had felt when he'd learned of Hermione's pain.

Harry, on the other hand, heaved a sigh as he explained, "I am willing to face any and all members of the community who think I should be punished, but do not think for one second that I won't hesitate to use my rank as a Pure Knight and a Double-Founder's Heir to help me. Also, I will willingly provide my memory as evidence and submit myself to Veritaserum, but the important thing is this: _no-one_, but no-one will ever lay a hand on my Hermione and think they can just walk away from it."

"And I believe you," Dan remarked, his voice showing the shock he was feeling, "Now I understand why you were so distraught: Remus?" he then asked, looking to the Professor, "You're their new Defence Teacher, aren't you?"

"I am," Remus answered, "And I agree with Harry's words: no doubt he's told you Mr Granger…"

"Daniel…or Dan."

"Dan," Remus corrected himself, "No doubt he's told you, but in our first lesson, Harry encountered a Boggart, a creature that…"

"Manifests itself into whatever scares the person the most," Dan nodded, "He told me."

"Well," Remus explained, "When he saw it, Harry went into some kind of psychosomatic shock and wouldn't come out of it. Now, from what I've heard, it took your daughter to bring him back and that took nearly all day. I don't know the details, but I saw him and how he was feeling: he wouldn't speak anything except to apologise and that made me realise that Hermione means more to him than any amount of gold, treasures or even being handed his mantle. She is his most prized treasure and he, to her, is a White Knight who will never abandon her side: to separate them would take guts; to do what we just heard and think you'd get away with it? You'd have to be either immortal, invincible or _Merlin himself_ to achieve such a feat."

"Well," Dan spoke up, "I want to thank you Remus; apparently you've been a good friend and support for both Harry and Hermione: I want you to know that you're welcome here anytime."

"And the Hollow," Harry added, "Which reminds me: I'll need you all here on Monday morning so I can perform the necessary allowances and admit you to the wards."

"Of course cub," Remus nodded, Harry smiling as he saw Dan wondering about the address.

"Now," Harry added, "I'm actually glad you're here because there's something you need to see and some information you need to know, but, before I reveal it, I need your word that you won't react in the wrong manner or attempt to keep me from saying what I need to."

"I promise," Minerva nodded, "After hearing what you did; how could I not?"

"I'm your Vassal," Amelia explained, "And as such, I'm bound to the House and Family in confidence and secrecy: plus Harry, I _am _the head of the DMLE, so whatever you need to say won't go beyond me."

"I can guess what you're going to say," Remus chuckled, "But you have my word too cub."

"In that case," Harry sighed, "There's someone you need to meet: Padfoot, if you would?"

"Padfoot?" asked Minerva, the penny dropping for her as the black dog changed…into Sirius Black. "You?"

"Me," Sirius grinned, "Hello Minnie, Moony, Amelia: have I got a story to tell you!"

**_HPHG_**

When Sirius was done, Harry provided the icing on the cake as he retrieved the still-frozen Wormtail from his robe, Amelia gasping when Sirius informed Harry of the necessary spell and the rat changed into a rather short man with a rat-like face and snivelling appearance to him, his robes and body as patched and dirty as the rat himself.

"This," Harry explained, "Was the only good thing that came of that day we spoke of; Hermione risked everything to get him, the coward was being held by the Weasleys and, Amelia, if you don't believe this and think I'm playing a joke on you, then you can think again."

"Peter," growled Sirius, Harry moving to his godfather's side as he held him back.

"Down boy," he joked, placing a hand on Sirius' arm, "It's all going according to plan: please Sirius, you said you wouldn't."

"And I won't," Sirius remarked, looking to Amelia, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you Amelia, but I think this is proof that Pettigrew is alive and I am innocent: if you want more…Harry, the sword."

Drawing Excalibur, Harry held it out to Sirius, who placed his hand upon the blade as he exclaimed, "I, Sirius Black, swear on the power of the Holy Sword Excalibur that I did not betray Lily and James Potter to Voldemort nor did I murder thirteen Muggles. If I am to tell a lie, may the sword strip me of my magic, so mote it be."

"So mote it be," Harry remarked, watching as Excalibur's blade shone with bright light before Sirius, borrowing Harry's wand, cast several spells to prove he still had his magic.

"There," he announced, "Innocent: not that I had a trial either."

"Sirius," Amelia remarked, "As Head of the DMLE, I swear that I will get you that trial…not that you need it with all this evidence, but in the meantime, you are under the protective custody of House Potter; my Lord Potter, do you agree?"

"I do," Harry replied, smiling as he saw Sirius glowing with magic, the magic of the House keeping him a free man…for now. "Thank you Amelia: now please, get _that_ out of here before I am forced to take my own revenge."

Amelia bound Pettigrew and, one Floo call later, courtesy of some assistance from Remus and Minerva, Tonks and a large, dark-skinned Auror had appeared and taken the coward away, Harry waiting until they were gone before he turned and hugged Sirius tightly.

"You're free!" he exclaimed, Sirius swinging Harry around, laughter echoing throughout the Granger household as Minerva excused herself and Amelia said that she would join Harry on Christmas morning to grant her access to the new residence of Lord Potter.

**_HPHG_**

The next morning, Harry, with Hermione in his arms, wasn't awoken by his own will, nor was he woken by Padfoot licking his face; instead, he was woken from his sleep by Emma, who had crept into the room and placed a light kiss on Harry's forehead, the Holy Knight stirring as he asked, "What was that for Mum?"

"Hermione relayed everything you said yesterday," Emma whispered, her face showing she had been crying, "Harry, I can't thank you enough for protecting her and I am so glad that your godfather is now free."

"Not yet," Harry replied, slowly sitting up, his motions disturbing Hermione as she mumbled sleepily, "He's under House Protection, but in technical terms; yeah, he's free: Amelia even sent me a letter last night saying he could go to Gringotts and claim his assets back, but we've decided to wait until the trial for that. He's got his wand and he's got me back, so he's a happy man."

"Well," Emma smiled, ruffling Harry's black hair as she sat there, her eyes catching sight of Hermione waking up, though Harry didn't notice yet, "I still owe you so much Harry: you did everything to protect Hermione and you're willing to risk it all again."

"I'd risk myself a thousand times over to protect Hermione from harm," Harry told her, "And I will _never_ consider her anything less than the precious gemstone of a Holy Knight that she is…and you know I'm telling the truth, don't you Kitten?"

Emma was quickly forced to leave Harry and Hermione alone as the Holy Knight of Ocean proceeded to thank her glorious, brave White Knight of a boyfriend…

**_HPHG_**

For the rest of the day, over a glorious Sunday dinner provided by Dobby and aided by Harry, the young wizards spent most of their day together, Harry's peace and tranquility only disturbed by Sirius, who seemed to spend time with Harry, saying he would one day do the right thing and someone would love him for it.

"I already did," Harry remarked, his arm around Hermione as they sat in the living room, a late afternoon movie on the television, "And she already does: there's no doubt about that Sirius. By the way, how _did_ Remus eventually take it?"

"Not too bad," Sirius replied, "He says that he wants to help restore my family home over the summer, but I told him not to bother: you couldn't pay me to set foot back in that place. No, I'm perfectly content being in the home that welcomed me so well when my own family would not."

"I know how that feels," Harry replied, earning himself a light kiss from Hermione as he asked, "But what about your Lordship?"

"Well," Sirius answered, "The first thing I plan on doing is re-acquiring my own Codex so that I can see what's been going on while I've been a guest at the Hotel Azkaban and then, even if you say no, I'm still going to do it."

"What?" asked Harry.

"Name you," Sirius answered, "As my sole heir and benefactor, which means that, in the event of my death, you'd inherit everything."

"Appreciate it," Harry smiled, looking to Sirius as he asked, "But what about Dumbledore? Where do you stand with him?"

"After seeing and hearing what he's willing to do to keep you on his side, I think it's safe to say that I stand with you pup," Sirius remarked, running a soft hand against Harry's cheek, "I'll do anything you say as far as this destiny of yours goes. If you need anything, then all you'd have to do is ask and I'll move heaven and earth to get it for you."

Harry laughed in response, before he started slightly as Dobby appeared, his eyes wide with glee as he exclaimed, "Harry Potter sir; Dobby is here to say that Mr Neville and Miss Luna will be here sir."

"Took you long enough," Harry joked, but suddenly sat bolt upright when Dobby wrung his hands, "No Dobby," he insisted, "Don't even think about it: I was joking. Thank you for everything: what about Sebastian?"

"Master Seba says he will meet Harry Potter at the Hollow sir," Dobby remarked, smiling now as Harry nodded in acceptance, before he returned to the comfort of Hermione's arms.

"Thank you Dobby; now, why don't you take the rest of the day off? I insist," he added, seeing Dobby's wide eyed look, "Why don't you go and see some friends or whatever it is that House Elves do in their spare time?"

"Harry Potter is so generous sir," Dobby cried, before he vanished with a pop, Harry suddenly finding himself enveloped by Hermione's warm hugs, her lips pressed against his as she held him close.

When they parted, Harry gasped as he asked, "Whatever I did to deserve that Hermione, can you tell me so that I can use it again later?"

"You got that for just being you," Hermione replied, "Don't ever change Sparky."

"I won't Kitten," Harry laughed, before he noted a stunned, almost disbelieving look on the face of his godfather. "But next time, I think we had best warn others: Sirius looks like he's going to have a heart attack."

**_HPHG_**

True to Dobby's word, Neville and Luna turned up a little after seven, Harry and Hermione both working their way through their holiday homework, the Holy Knight of Thunder revising his Advanced Charms Homework as he looked up, seeing Dan and Emma walk in with their two best friends. "Hey guys," he smiled, "Thanks for coming: have a seat."

As they obliged, Neville cocked his head as he asked, "AC Harry?"

"Yep," Harry remarked, scratching his head with the tip of his quill as he added, "For some reason, the fact that I can enter and leave the Void at will makes it easier for me to know what the hell I'm going on about."

"Well you've certainly impressed Flitwick," Luna commented, smiling at her second friend as she explained, "I overheard him telling some of the other Ravens that you've excelled in AC and that it's living proof that the course works. In fact, I think I'll choose it next year when I start my OWL courses."

"Well if you need any help," Harry laughed, looking up to them as he just came out and said it, "Why not ask your soul mate?"

"Yeah she could…" Neville answered, his voice trailing off as he seemed to come back to reality, "Are…are you serious?"

"No that's his godfather," Hermione laughed, Harry chuckling to himself as he summoned the Codex to his hand and, opening it to the page on his family, indicated Neville's name.

"Wow," Neville gasped, mentally slapping himself, "I should have thought to check my own Codex huh? At least I now understand why Luna makes me feel so special."

"And there's more," Harry explained, looking to Luna, "I've been speaking with Hermione, Sirius and am going to speak to the Warriors tomorrow, but there is a chance that you, Luna, could be an Anointed One like Neville."

"You mean a Holy Knight?" asked Neville, Harry nodding in response as he continued.

"It's only a chance, but if it's true, then we'll have half the forces all together: the Knights of Ocean, alias Water, Fire, Thunder and whatever Knight Luna is going to be."

"Then there's what you were told about Riddle," Neville explained, Harry having explained that part of his destiny a while back.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "The Knight of Darkness, so, in Luna's case, that leaves three: Light, Sky and Earth; but you never know what could happen. I mean, you remember what Sebastian said, didn't you Neville?"

"Uh-huh," replied the Holy Knight of Fire, "He believed, as you did Harry that I would be the Earth's Knight given my love of Herbology and affinity with the earth, but, instead, I became the Holy Knight of Fire."

"Which I figured out," Harry picked up, "Is actually due to your courage and determination to believe in your friends, not to mention that you _are_ a Gryffindor, whose power came from the Fire himself."

"So," Hermione continued, "It's a case of wait and see, right Harry?"

"Right," Harry replied, looking to his blood-brother as he added, "Anyway, I just thought you'd want to know…in case anything were to happen to her like…what happened to my betrothed."

"Thanks for the heads-up," Neville remarked.

"What are brothers for?"

**_HPHG_**

Neville and Luna spent the night with Harry and Hermione, all four of them agreeing to travel to the Hollow together; when they awoke, there was a light chill in the air and, as he allowed himself to be embraced by the cold around them, Harry actually thought he could _feel_ a snowstorm on the way: it would be perfect for Christmas and, if not, then he would just have to give it a little hand.

At 10am, Harry summoned Dobby and, with help from Sirius, Remus and Amelia, who had all turned up half an hour earlier, Harry told his loyal friend, "Take us to Godric's Hollow Dobby."

In a matter of seconds, Harry gasped as Dobby dropped both he and Hermione off at the edge of what appeared to be a rather well-kept graveyard, a small group of hooded figures waiting for them as Remus, Amelia and Sirius arrived moments later, Dan and Emma gasping as they were brought by the latter.

Looking around, Harry spotted it straight away: standing right in front of them, at least three floors high and as long as three detached houses was a beautiful, old-looking white stone building, beams of wood and slate mixed into the walls and roof. The garden, which looked seemingly renewed, held four topiaries that, when he looked closer, Harry felt tears creeping at the edges of his eyes: a dog, a doe, a stag and a phoenix, a solid gold plate on the front gate, the words _Albion House_ inscribed on the plate, a stag and doe at either end of the words.

"Remind me," Harry gasped, "To thank Ragnok for all his help."

"How do you know he…" Remus began, before he too noticed the designs and outlook of the building.

"This place was destroyed," Sirius explained, "Ragnok must have rebuilt it out of respect for Harry, hence the reason we're stood here right now."

"Anyway," Harry sighed, turning to his guests, "Shall we get on with this?"

"Lord of the Manor goes first," Sirius explained, indicating the gate, "It's only right; oh, but be wary: if the wards are still tied to that old bastard, then he'll know you're here."

"Good luck getting in," Harry hissed, stepping across the road and up to the gate, his blood rushing with a whole cavalcade of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Putting his hand on the gate, Harry gasped as he felt a strong rush of wind and, on his robe, his phoenix crest lit up, the Potter Crest now glowing with raw magic.

"There," Remus explained, "The House recognises you as Lord Potter: go on Harry; go in."

Pushing the gate open, Harry walked up a stone path towards the front door, his eyes trying and failing to hold back the tears of longing and memory that filled him at that moment. Stopping before the door, Harry smiled as he saw a stained-glass window in the door, the images in the window matching the Hogwarts Shield except for the fact that the four animals in the shield were the same as the topiaries, a golden letter P in the centre.

Holding out his hand, Harry watched as the door opened and a rush of warmth filled his heart; the entranceway to the House was decorated in Gryffindor colours, a long red and white carpet stretching through the hallway and off towards the left and right of the house, a selection of doors around him, a winding stairway leading to the upper floors.

'Right,' Harry thought, 'Let's do this.'

Removing Excalibur from his belt, Harry held his weapon outwards before he announced, "I, Harry Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, Heir of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin, call upon the magic of the Holy Sword Excalibur to protect the walls of my domain and keep those unwelcome by my will out of this building!"

With that, he drove Excalibur into the floor, a powerful wave of red and gold magic suddenly flying from his blade, Harry's silver eye glowing with the raw magic that he could feel; while the sword was placed in the ground, Harry gently nicked his skin against its edge and allowed a drop of his own blood to stain the blade. Turning to the door, he nodded and watched as his guests approached, each of them nicking their own skin against the blade, their bloodstains making the sword glow as it recognised their allowance.

When the last member of the group – Dante – had offered his blood, Harry raised his voice once more and exclaimed, "By the Holy Sword, I welcome Hermione Granger, Daniel Granger, Emma Granger, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Sebastian McDale, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Elora Shaw, Felicia Harrow, Amelia Bones, Tyler Kingston and Dante McShane to this domain: their presence is authorised by the will of Lord Potter and recognised as friends to House Potter."

Excalibur's blade shone once more, its glow now pulsing seemingly around the small company as Harry removed the blade from the ground, Hermione looking on in shock as the hole created by Excalibur was sealed once more, Harry now sheathing Excalibur not at his belt, but over his shoulder, his eyes shining as he nodded to them, "Welcome my friends; now, shall we look around?"

When they answered in the positive, Harry turned and immediately made for the third floor, Sirius, Remus and Hermione all following while the others explored the downstairs area; knowing all too well where he was going, Sirius watched as Harry came to the room on the end, his hand brushing over the door handle.

"It's here," he whispered, his mind hearing words from a time that seemed like an age ago;

'_Lily, it's him! Take Harry and run!_'

'_Not Harry, please not Harry._'

'_Stand aside, stand aside you silly girl._'

'_Not Harry; please take me instead._'

"Harry?"

Turning on the spot, Harry smiled as he saw Hermione watching him worriedly, her eyes on his as she asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing," answered Harry, "Just memories."

Turning back to the door, Harry pushed it open and gasped in awe: what once had been his nursery – and he didn't know how he knew that fact – was now a master bedroom decorated in the colours of the Four Founders, bolts of lightning and different creatures lining the walls in mouldings and mosaic designs, a large portrait standing at the head of Harry's bed, bearing an image of his Holy Knight Crest. Above the majestic four-poster, Harry saw words carved into the wall and, as he read them, another pang of memory hit him; he had heard those words before.

_Harry, be safe, be strong and know that you are loved_

"Mum," he whispered, approaching the bed, walking past a walk-in wardrobe and a private bathroom; standing beneath the words, Harry called on the winds and hovered upwards, running his hand over the engraving as he remained there, Hermione, Sirius and Remus watching him in case of any sort of reaction.

"I'll make you proud," he whispered, "I swear it."

Returning to the ground, Harry wiped his eyes and left the room, Hermione, Sirius and Remus following suit; moving along the third floor, they noticed that it bore only one other master-like bedroom that Harry assumed would either be for Dan and Emma or Neville and Luna – later, when he offered, Neville and Luna gave it to Dan and Emma – before he descended to the second floor, finding an array of guest rooms, all with en-suite facilities and smaller wardrobes, as well as something that made Hermione's day, her excitement bringing a smile back to Harry's face.

The Potter Family Annexe, which held not one, but two libraries as large as Hogwarts, the space seemingly increased through magical means; as he was later exploring the libraries, Harry then noticed why there were two: one was normal magic and one was for the power and majesty of the Holy Knights.

Then came the ground floor and Harry heaved a sigh as he found a well-kept kitchen, dining room, study, living room and even a ballroom, the back area of the house holding what looked like a greenhouse while a door on the ground floor led down to a fully-functioning Potions laboratory.

"It's perfect," Harry whispered, now sitting with his friends and family in the ancestral living room.

"It's home," Hermione remarked, her arms around Harry as he was still failing to hold back the tears.

**_HPHG_**

Home is where the heart is;

Truer words couldn't be spoken;

Harry and Hermione soon found themselves enjoying the House and all it had to offer, though Harry usually found himself having to entice Hermione and Emma – which told him where she got it from – away from the libraries, Hermione usually reading late into the night while Emma just stared in shock and awe. Harry, meanwhile, spent most of his time either in the master suite or down in the ballroom; a large, marble-decorated room that held what Harry called his favourite portrait.

Lily and James Potter, on their wedding day – or at least that was how it appeared – with baby Harry, clearly less than a year old, in their arms, all three of them waving merrily, Lily usually crying when she saw older Harry standing there. Underneath the portrait were the same words from Harry's room and this was the reason that it became his favourite portrait: while he had only seen his parents in the Mirror of Erised or in the photo album Hagrid had given him, that was nothing compared to this.

On Christmas Morning, Harry awoke to the scene he had hoped to see: a glorious, white-washed village decorated in snow, the graveyard opposite the house blanketed by the frost. This image, combined with the fact that it _was _Christmas, gave Harry an idea; forsaking everything else, he left his bed and got dressed, before he snuck out of the house and over the road, a look of love and memory on his face as he put a special Christmas surprise into action.

Hermione was going to love this…he hoped…

When said witch opened her eyes, she was slightly concerned to see that there was no sign of her betrothed, but, instead, a note and a single white rose; opening the note, Hermione saw Harry's writing and, when she read it, she was at first confused, but then, considering it was her Harry, she began to accept it:

_A white rose for my white princess; want more? Come to the graveyard for a special present;_

_Harry_

Dressing herself, Hermione crept downstairs and out the front door, crossing the road where she found more white roses lining the gate and decorated around the topiaries. Harry was clearly going all out here; entering the graveyard, Hermione gasped when she saw the snow seemingly coalesce before a familiar shape approached her.

A pair of white antlers atop a white head, a small doe at his side, Prongs bowed his head to Hermione and turned away, the doe nuzzling Hermione's hand, the Holy Knight of Ocean gasping as she felt not only the cold snow, but actual white fur. How had Harry done this?

Following the stag and doe through the graveyard, Hermione gasped with awe and wonder when she came upon a ring of white roses, Prongs and his mate standing at the edge of the circle, but there, standing tall and proud before what appeared to be a headstone was Harry.

"Hello Hermione," he said, a note of sadness in his voice, "Merry Christmas."

"Harry?" asked Hermione, looking to the two deer at either side of the rosy circle, "How…how did you…"

"Come in," Harry answered, "I can't keep this up for long: I set it up for the moment you touched the note."

"You set…" Hermione then gasped when she saw Harry's hand glowing, his left arm moved up to his heart, the Holy Knight lost in concentration. In one moment, Hermione understood, "Illusions: Charm-Casting!"

"Yes," Harry replied, before he felt Hermione piercing the edge of his circle, "I did exactly what Professor Flitwick said: I envisioned the illusion, let my mind enter the Void and cast it into the real world. Did you like Prongs and his friend? I call her Ariel."

"Ariel?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry lowered his hands, the stag and doe fading into the snow.

"Yes," Harry replied, "I'll tell you why later; for now, come here."

Hermione approached his side, her eyes wide as she then noticed the circle and the white roses were still there, but, when she approached Harry and saw the headstone he was standing in front of, it all made sense.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, "I'm here."

"I know," Harry replied, taking her hand, "I felt this was appropriate."

Before him, as Hermione linked her hand with his, Harry looked upon a snow-covered headstone, his Knight's magic having removed the wear and tear and replaced the words to mean something;

_HERE LIES LILY AND JAMES POTTER_

_THE SIRES OF A HERO_

_MAY THEIR SOULS FIND PEACE_

Right there, standing in the graveyard, the snow falling around them, Hermione took Harry's hands in hers, put her arms around him and kissed him, her eyes closed as she took in everything that he had done for her.

'_Merry Christmas Harry,_' she whispered mentally, their peace undisturbed as the two Holy Knights remained there for quite some time, taking in everything that they had gained;

And remembering everything that they had lost…

**Oh my god that was a long one, but the idea wouldn't stop until I had written it all out; I hope Harry's example of Advanced Charm-Casting was all right: anyway, with the demons of the past finally laid to rest, can Harry officially start down the road to his destiny?**

**Also, will Amelia succeed in freeing Sirius or will Harry be forced to take extreme measures?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: The Family enjoy their time together with Dan and Emma having a private talk with Sirius and Harry; also, after their private moment in the graveyard, Harry and Hermione explore the regions of their bond and their powers and Harry receives a mysterious message; plus, it's back to Hogwarts and Harry has to attend a meeting…with Lucius Malfoy and Molly Weasley!**

**Please Read and Review…**

**NOTE: This will be my last update to Stormy Waters for 2011; hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that you all keep reading and reviewing this story in 2012; coming in 2012 is the rewrite to Child of the First – thanks to everyone who voted on my poll;**

**SECOND NOTE: Anyone figure out where I got the name Ariel from for Prongs' mate? Dedications in the New Year to anyone who figures it out;**

**THIRD NOTE: I should point out that, in Advanced Charm-Casting, there's no words to using it; it's all about willpower;**


	18. The Storm and The Sword

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 17:**

**Harryhermionealways: THANK YOU! You have given me my 400th review for this story; oh, and I agree with everything you're saying and thank you for your kind words;**

**Zamia: In Harry's case, the obvious thing: Family, but I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter;**

**DarkHeart81: Good guess, but wrong;**

**Cateagle: You seem to be enjoying this story and that makes me happy; Harry's power is going to continue to grow and, by the time he comes to his full power, I hope to make Dumbledore learn his lesson…or else;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Lucius Malfoy and Molly Weasley making a kid? Ugh, an image I didn't need in my head thank you very much;**

**StormyFireDragon: It's reviewers like you that keep me going Storm; have a Merry Christmas;**

**apAidan: They are still alive because I will it; when I will it, I write it; they die, when I SAY they die (evil laugh) also, you were SO close to the answer;**

**MariusDarkwolf: First in line again Marius; thanks pal, Merry Christmas;**

**AND, IN REGARDS TO MY QUESTION: ARIEL IS FROM SHAKESPEARE'S THE TEMPEST, BUT, SINCE ONLY ONE REVIEWER – apAidan – CAME CLOSE, THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO EVERYONE WHO HAS STAYED WITH ME AND KEPT UP WITH THE GOOD REVIEWS: SPECIAL THANKS TO: StormyFireDragon, MariusDarkwolf, Zamia and harryhermionealways FOR ALWAYS HAVING FANTASTIC REVIEWS: MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS: SEE YOU IN 2012!**

**ANYWAY, onto the story…**

**_HPHG_**

_'Merry Christmas Harry,' she whispered mentally, their peace undisturbed as the two Holy Knights remained there for quite some time, taking in everything that they had gained;_

_And remembering everything that they had lost…_

Chapter 18: The Storm and The Sword

When Dan and Emma heard about Harry's gift to Hermione, Dan had to actually move aside when his wife wrapped Harry in a warm, loving embrace, Hermione smiling sadly as she stood with her Father, all the while explaining about the power displayed by the Holy Knight of Thunder. They had remained in the graveyard for a few more minutes before a Christmas snowfall had begun to drift across the village, prompting a cold and wet Harry and Hermione to return to the warmth of Albion House. Once they were safely warm and dry, Harry had reached out with his magic and cancelled the white rose decorations around his home, but kept the ones that now adorned his parents' gravestones.

"He misses them," Hermione explained to Dan, watching as Sirius shared in the awe as to the power of his godson, "It was a well thought-out gift and must have taken him ages to practice."

"Well," Dan explained, "Before we came here, Harry did say that his powers had excelled thanks to that ritual that you and he performed; it doesn't really surprise me that he finds it easy to use such complex magic."

"I know," Hermione sighed, before she stepped forwards, the small crowd of well-wishers allowing her access to her boyfriend, "But that's what I love about you Harry James Potter."

Taking Hermione in his arms, Harry placed a light kiss on her lips before she put her arms around his neck and seemed to force him to stay there, locked in her embrace for a while, Sirius nodding towards the kitchen, leaving the two Knights to pick up where they had left off in the graveyard.

**_HPHG_**

Professor McGonagall arrived at the entrance to the house at midday, Harry adding her to the wards with help from Excalibur, before he talked about the magic he had performed earlier that day. When Minerva gave him a sceptical look, Harry sighed before he called on Dobby and asked for him to provide a Pensieve. Showing his Head of House those memories, Harry felt a strong wave of elation and freedom from simply watching what he had already experienced: it was almost as if his demons of the past had finally been laid to rest.

Christmas dinner was a hearty affair: Dan, Sirius and Remus were all deep in conversation with regards to Harry's ever-growing power levels; Emma, Minerva and Amelia were discussing where things went from here for the young man that now sat at the head of the table, said teenager sharing a glass of ice-cold drink with his girlfriend, Sebastian and the Order around them, the commander still in shock as to the memories they had seen. His Lord's power was growing each and every day and, when the time came for Harry to take his place at the head of the Holy Knight's Circle within the magical lands of Camelot…Sebastian actually shivered when he thought about it.

"His strength is growing," Elora commented, her voice low so that she did not disturb the atmosphere around the table, "And as long as he has Hermione at his side, he will show a lot more strength in the trials that are to come."

"Those two complete one another," Dante agreed, "Harry makes Hermione feel strong and loved and Hermione makes Harry feel safe, calm and like the proud young man that he is. The Boy-Who-Lived doesn't exist here: he's all Harry and he's all hers."

"Such is the strength of his resolve," Sebastian remarked, looking to his team, "The time may be coming where we won't need to escort our L…Harry and Hermione all over the place anymore."

"What do we do when that time comes?" asked Tyler, his own gaze not on his Lord and Lady, but the spot in front of him, as if he were staring off into space.

"We support his family," Felicia put in, "We protect them when he cannot and we make sure that our roles as the Order are respected. We know that Harry will always need us: his parents prove that through your early years Sebastian, but he won't need us as close and personal as we have been."

"She's right," Harry laughed, the Order all looking up to see their Lord standing next to Sebastian, his eyes shining brightly as he continued, "Sorry; I couldn't help but overhear the end of that conversation, but I am glad for everything that you have done for me and I am honoured and privileged to have such loyal friends like you at my side."

"We appreciate the compliment Harry," Tyler smiled, looking around as he asked, "But the point is clear: we may not be needed as your protectors and mentors, but we will always be needed as your friends."

"Tyler's right," Harry nodded, before he placed a hand on Sebastian's shoulder, his voice almost firm as he added, "_All_ of you: you are my friends and you've helped me out in so many ways. I hope that the alliance we've formed in these past few months lasts for the rest of my life."

"It will," Dante told him, before he actually provided the Christmas humour as he asked, "But will it last for the rest of _our_ lives?"

**_HPHG_**

After dinner, Harry and his company of friends and family all made their way into the lounge where the two Holy Knights turned into big kids at Christmas when they saw the large pile of presents that awaited them, Harry turning on his heel and hugging both Dan and Emma warmly, whispering his thanks as they all took their places.

"We'll go round one at a time," Dan explained, "One present each and then do a free-for-all: okay?"

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, before he reached for one of his gifts, his eyes narrowed as he recognised the scrawl as Hagrid's: it was a fairly large gift and, as he began unwrapping it, Harry noticed Hermione's smile crossing her face.

Once he unwrapped the gift, Harry gasped in awe: in his hands was a gilded red set of reins and a saddle that bore the Crest of the Holy Knights; attached to the reins was a note from Hagrid:

_Harry; Think this'll help when yeh go ridin on Beaky; 'e misses yeh lately; Merry Christmas; Hagrid_

'Wow Hagrid,' thought Harry, placing the reins and saddle aside, his eyes then catching sight of something hidden under the saddle; pulling it out, Harry found what appeared to be a riding cloak made from Acromantula Silk and bearing not only the Crest of the Knights, but a bolt of lightning across the back.

"That was my idea," Hermione explained, not regretting it for a second as she then found herself on the receiving end of a kiss from Harry.

Hermione went next and, when she saw Harry almost shying away, she knew who this was from: opening the gift, Hermione gasped as she found a silver necklace with a doe-shaped pendant, the eyes of the doe made from what appeared to be a sea-blue gemstone. Looking to Harry, Hermione gasped as she asked, "How did you…"

"Back in France," Harry explained, looking to Dan and Emma with a knowing smile, "While we were in Les Terres Magiques, I spotted the pendant and, well, given who you are to me, I thought it fit: look at the back."

Turning the pendant over, Hermione found a small inscription that was composed of two small words: _My Ariel_.

"Ariel?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry shrugged ruefully.

"The doe," he explained, "But I also think it makes a good name for you as a Marauder: what do you say Padfoot?"

"Not a bad idea," Sirius agreed, "But how…"

"Her name," Harry explained, "Hermione: it's a name from Shakespeare, so I used that as inspiration and, boom, I found this amazing story…"

"The Tempest," Dan smiled, his eyes on his daughter as he added, "One of your favourites as a little girl, do you remember Princess?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, "Ariel was a spirit that was controlled by Prospero to serve him and be his eyes and ears on the island; in the end, Ariel is freed by Prospero, but Harry, why did you give this name to me?"

"Because," Harry explained, "Like Ariel to Prospero, you saved me: you made me see the Light and I can never thank you enough for everything you did for me."

Now it was Hermione's turn to give Harry the kiss as they moved onto the next gift; this one was for Sirius and it was from both Harry and Hermione: when he opened it, the now free man gasped and Harry saw tears in his eyes as he found himself looking at an exact copy of the journal that Harry had been given by Hagrid, a large black dog on the front page of the book.

Dan and Emma's first gift was from Harry and, when they opened it, they shared Hermione's gasped shocks as they found a set of wizarding robes bearing the Holy Knights' Crest as well as two diamond rings that bore the words Mum and Dad on the crown of the rings.

Minerva's first gift was from Hermione and, when she saw it, she understood why: it was a box of rich Honeydukes Chocolates and a bottle of Dr Ambrosias finest red wine, as well as a note that said she was sorry she lied.

For Remus, Sirius had actually managed this one, though how exactly was a mystery to Harry: inside his present was a book format of the Marauder's Map, the book signed by Padfoot, Ariel and someone called Sparky, though Remus figured that to be Harry from what Hermione loved to call him.

That just left Amelia, since Neville and Luna were enjoying their time at Neville's home, and when she opened the parcel, she gasped as she found a miniature copy of Harry's favourite portrait, the portrait's lower side now bearing the words:

_To Amelia, thank you for everything; I owe you my life and everything I am; Harry._

When Harry then looked to the Order, Sebastian smiled before he shook his head, "We didn't ask for presents Harry; the knowledge that you are getting stronger and you see us as friends is enough of a gift."

"Oh well," sighed Harry, before he snapped his fingers and, as if summoned from somewhere else, a large parcel flew to his hand, the wrappings revealing a set of five blades, each one personally inscribed to their owner as he added, "I guess I'll just have to give these goblin-made blades that were burnished by my own powers to someone else."

"M…My Lord!" gasped Sebastian, watching as Harry handed the swords to his warriors.

"Don't say anything Seba," Harry told him, "You deserve these: Ragnok crafted the blades for me and, once they were complete, I had them burnished with a bolt of white lightning and branded with your names; they'll only allow themselves to be bore by each of you, so I suggest you take them. Besides," he added, now summoning Excalibur from its scabbard, "I'm going to need _someone_ to teach me swordsmanship if I'm going to wield Excalibur like the weapon that it is."

"Thank you Harry," Tyler remarked, his hand now holding onto his own sword, the others following suit as he then asked, "But won't Excalibur shatter our weapons?"

"No," Hermione replied, going into bookworm mode as she added, "Goblin steel is unbreakable and, considering what Harry used to burnish them, it makes them about 10 – 25% weaker than Excalibur, but still able to bear the brunt of Harry's training as and when he needs it."

"Hold on," Harry then added, before he pulled back a folded wrapping and, feigning shock, discovered a sixth blade, this one bearing a set of wings on the hilt and cross-guard, the blade shining with a bright shade of blue like the waters of the ocean. "If the Order have theirs, then whose is _this _sword that looks like steel-fused water?"

It was a good thing Harry had dropped the sword at that moment as Hermione practically dived on him, hugging him close as she held onto her blade, Harry smiling as he told her, "I didn't just burnish that sword with my power Hermione, I willingly gave some of my blood to craft it; thanks to our bond, that sword is now as strong as Excalibur. I even named it, if you didn't mind."

"What do you call it?" asked Hermione, eyeing her blue-bladed weapon, "And why's my blade blue?"

"To the first," Harry answered, "I gave your sword the name Nimueh, after the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legends: it seemed to fit given what my sword really is."

"And the second?" asked Hermione.

"Well," Harry explained, "That's the unusual thing: according to a legend that I found in the Hogwarts library, Excalibur actually _did_ have a twin sword that was destroyed by Morgana Le Fay during her battle with Arthur and Merlin; that sword was said to have the same power as Excalibur, except for the fact that it was blue. When I looked into why that was, it was said that the sword was forged from the tears of the Lady of the Lake herself and burnished by Merlin's powers."

"So it's blue because of its ties to water?" asked Hermione.

"Not exactly," Sebastian answered, Harry and Hermione looking to him as the commander continued, "Your sword, Hermione, was forged from Harry's powers, but, in the eyes of fate and the souls of your predecessors, he's almost as strong as Merlin himself; so, to imbue a goblin-made blade with not only his magic, but his blood as well would bestow that sword with the same power as the one that was forged from Nimueh's tears."

"Which is also why I gave it the name Nimueh," Harry explained, holding Excalibur before him as he looked to Hermione, "After the legend…if it is a legend."

"And also so that you could join him on those sessions," Emma realised, "Harry sees you as his equal Hermione, so a weapon for you is the icing on that cake."

"I guessed that part," Hermione replied, before she gently tapped Nimueh's blade against Excalibur's, the two metallic weapons singing with the raw magic of their bearers as she added, "And it's perfect: thank you Harry."

"Right," Sirius remarked, becoming the big kid that people knew him to be, "Now, who's for that free-for-all?"

Other than his riding set from Hagrid, Harry received a new wizard's chess set from Neville, his eyes widening when he saw that the White pieces all represented the current Holy Knight Order – Harry and Hermione were the White King and Queen, Neville and Luna were their Knights, Sebastian was the rook/castles and Dan and Emma were the bishops; the pawns took the forms of their friends and the other Order members – and all in all, it was a very thoughtful gift. Luna had sent Harry a mysterious, almost crystal pendant bearing a still image of a Thestral in flight within its heart: it was both beautiful and wondrous; Amelia gave him a selection of Harry's favourites from Honeydukes as well as a new scabbard for Excalibur, this one bearing his Crest as well as an array of lightning bolts. Minerva gave Harry a book on meditation techniques and how to use your emotions to control your magic – he guessed she was making some kind of hint towards the frozen rodents at school – and, from Sebastian and the Order, Harry was actually awed when they handed him a brand new set of robes made from real golden thread, the Holy Knight's Crest woven into each of them, the robes accompanied by what appeared to be a mysterious collection of crystals. Harry made a mental note to ask about them later, but, for now, he thanked his friends and allies for their gifts.

Sirius and Remus explained in no certain terms that their gifts for Harry were their alliance, before Remus then handed Harry a book on Advanced Magic, before he asked if Harry would like some additional lessons to see if they could learn to harness the magical prowess within Excalibur. When Harry agreed, he added that Hermione would be joining him as he figured that anything Excalibur could do, so could Nimueh.

The final presents on the list were from Dan and Emma as well as the Weasleys, Harry not really wanting to open the one from the Weasleys in case it was a trap of some sort. However, when he tapped the wrapped gift with Excalibur and found it devoid of magic, Harry opened it and was surprised as to what he found.

Inside the Weasleys' gift was an egg about the size of Excalibur's blade – roughly 11 inches – and covered in red and black spots, the shell of the egg was warm to the touch; looking to the note that came with the gift, Harry was surprised when he found out who it was from:

_Lord Potter;_

_We've never formally met; my name is Charlie Weasley and this gift is from my entire family: inside the egg is a Russian Silverback, a dragon that, even at full height, will be no larger than what the Muggles call an American Football; it is a serpentine dragon, so your skill will be able to commune with it and, when it grows, it will bond to you._

_Consider this a personal gift from your Vassal House and Dragon Master; if you need anything to help with raising the dragon, do not hesitate to call me: I am at your command, my Lord;_

_Charlie Weasley and Family_

_PS: Don't suppose you know where Ron's been this Christmas? No-one can find him, but I'm not saying a word._

"A dragon?" asked Hermione, reading the letter over Harry's shoulder, "I don't think I've ever heard of the Silverbacks?"

"I have," Sebastian explained, "And they are very strong: some say that they're the reptilian incarnation of phoenixes; despite their serpentine bodies, they do possess two foreclaws and can breath not only fire, but ice, hence the name Silverback. They are very loyal creatures and Mr Weasley is correct when he says that they are bonding creatures."

"But how do I bond it?" asked Harry, "Do I use Excalibur or my blood or what?"

"The egg is still in its early days," Sebastian explained, "It will be close to the summer before it hatches, but I will look into the research on the breed for you, my Lord."

"Thank you Sebastian," Harry smiled, before he looked to Amelia as he added, "You do know that when it hatches, be it he or she, it will be coming with me, don't you?"

"I do," Amelia smiled, "I'll see what I can do Harry, but you won't get the little guy taken from you: even I know of Silverbacks and they are very loyal, very protective friends, but, once tamed by their bonds, they will be as docile as a puppy."

Placing the egg aside, Harry opened the last gift from Dan and Emma, his eyes widening as he saw a picture of him and Hermione, magically crafted, the image in the picture showing the two of them relaxing in what Harry recognised as their villa in France; in the corner of the picture was an inscription:

_This is the Harry we know;_

_This is the Harry we love;_

_Don't you ever change son;_

_Mum and Dad_

"Wow," Harry gasped, moving to Dan and Emma, the two Granger elders hugging him to them as he whispered, "Thank you: it's perfect."

"Well," Dan laughed, "It's not a dragon egg or anything like that but…"

"It's still perfect," Harry whispered, "They all are: Merry Christmas you guys."

"Merry Christmas Harry," the others chorused, Harry now sitting back in front of the fire, his Silverback egg in his lap: it may be the biggest as far as gifts go, but the best would have to be from Dan and Emma…

His new family were finally together again…

**_HPHG_**

After their rather interesting Christmas, Harry and Hermione spent the rest of their holidays going between the Granger household and Albion House, Dan and Emma having offered to sell their house and move into the family home where Harry felt safe and comfortable. Though he had agreed with them, Harry had explained, "It doesn't matter where I live or where I lay my head at night; now that I have my family, I'm perfectly happy as long as I see you two and my Hermione on a daily basis. They tried to take my family and my freedom from me once before; it will take hell freezing over to do so again."

At the New Year, Harry made use of the House's ballroom as he and his friends enjoyed a mild party, Harry and Hermione spending the night in each other's arms, the Holy Knight of Ocean feeling as giddy as ever as she found herself moved and swayed by her Prince Charming. The morning after their party, Hermione awoke on her own, but, when she began to look around, she didn't have to look far: Harry was seated on the floor of his bedroom, his legs folded underneath him, Excalibur lying flat across his lap, his body glowing with a dim, but strong silvery aura.

Moving around him, Hermione kneeled down and, deciding to see how deep this trance of his was going, she leaned in close and brushed her lips against his, a sudden pull of magic drawing her not only into his mind, but into his magic, her body moving of its own accord as it took the same position as Harry's, Nimueh lying across Hermione's lap.

Within their mindscape, Hermione opened her eyes and was surprised to find that she was standing on the edge of a beach, the sand and sea washing over her bare feet, the cry of the gulls overhead making her turn several ways as she sought out her boyfriend.

"You shouldn't have kissed me Ariel," Harry's voice remarked, Hermione turning to the source of his voice; what she saw made her eyes widen: Harry was seemingly rising from the water, but where his body should have been, there was only water that coalesced and formed into the body of the Holy Knight of Thunder.

"I'm sorry," Hermione replied, watching as Harry stepped onto the beach and took her into his arms, "You just looked so peaceful: where are we?"

"To put it simply," Harry explained, taking her arm and walking along the beach with her, "We're in my soul room, a place I formed in my mind shortly after becoming the Holy Knight of Thunder and performing the Ritual of Release with you. I manage to come and go into my soul room through a deep meditation, but, if anything touches my glowing body, they get pulled in here as well and they can't leave unless I do."

"And," asked Hermione, admiring the magical strength of her beloved, "How did you create this place?"

"Through imagination," Harry explained, stopping close to a sheer cliff face, before he held out his hand and Hermione gasped when she saw a rocky seat forming at their feet, Harry now sitting on the seat and staring out across the water. "Anything I want to happen in here usually does: I discovered that I can use this place to calm myself should the Oncoming Storm rear its head. Do you remember the day that you had to sleep naked in bed with me?"

"Yes."

"My fear," Harry explained, lifting his hand to her face, Hermione gasping as she felt his touch: this was real and yet, at the same time, it wasn't real: Professor Flitwick would have a field day if he learned about this. "My fear," continued Harry, "It drew me in here and, for a moment, I was trapped: my subconscious wouldn't let me escape because it felt the danger, but, when your angelic body touched me, even when I was fourth-base naked, you drew me out and my mind recognised you as a friend. Thank you Hermione," he brushed his lips against hers as she lay her head on his shoulder. After a moment, Harry added, "You're wondering about the water thing, aren't you?"

"Pretty much." Hermione replied, her voice soothed by calmness and a sense of serenity that she had not felt since that morning in the graveyard.

"This is my mind," Harry explained, gesturing with his hands; as Hermione watched, a pod of dolphins suddenly leaped from the water, their slick, wet bodies shimmering like crystal in the sunlight. "I can be anywhere, anything, anytime: when I entered my mindscape after waking up, I needed to clear my head and so, my subconscious became nothingness, making me one with this world; when I felt your presence, I formed myself from the water, but, at a whim, I can be anywhere anytime."

"And anything," Hermione added, a light chuckle escaping her lips as she remained next to Harry.

"Yes," laughed the Holy Knight, "And anything, but right now, I'm yours and I'm here."

"Next time," Hermione remarked, "I'll ask to come in here with you."

"There won't be a next time," Harry told her, "Because we are one Ariel; I'll help you form your world like I have mine, but once it's done, the door will always be open. Just don't try doing it when I'm asleep, okay?"

"Okay Harry," Hermione replied, watching the waves and the almost peaceful scene before them, her mind at ease and her soul at peace in his embrace.

**This chapter is written as a thanks to all of you and as a reward: 400 REVIEWS: WHOO HOO! Anyway, with their minds at peace, can their physical selves be just as peaceful?**

**Also, when the egg hatches, how will Harry react to a dragon for a pet? Or will it be something more?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: It's back to Hogwarts and Harry has to attend a meeting…with Lucius Malfoy and Molly Weasley! Also, to calm down after the meeting, Harry and Hermione have some fun in Harry's mindscape – this IS a Fantasy story so I can go nuts – and the new year brings back some old problems, namely Albus Dumbledore!**

**Please Read and Review…**

**NOTE: THIS will be my last update to Stormy Waters for 2011; hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that you all keep reading and reviewing this story in 2012;**

**SECOND NOTE: The idea for Nimueh's blue blade came from the design of Excalibur in the animated CGI series Xcalibur; all copyright goes to the original creators;  
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	19. New Year, Old Problems

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 18:**

**Femalefarrier: A dragon as a companion is one of my biggest desires; why oh why can't they be real?**

**Bloodwar: While the thought would be nice, that's not really the point of this site now is it? I can't help having a talent like I do;**

**Zamia: Where one will start, others shall follow;**

**StormyFireDragon: You know something Storm, you give me that much positive feedback and compliments that I'm surprised my head isn't as big as Hogwarts now; thanks again pal;**

**Harryhermionealways: Then this chapter should appease that curiosity for you;**

**Aealket: Luna WILL be a Knight, but her official Knighting won't happen for a few chapters yet;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Good point, but still a disturbing thought;**

**The Submarauder: That's what I had in mind when I thought about the dragon scene;**

_"There won't be a next time," Harry told her, "Because we are one Ariel; I'll help you form your world like I have mine, but once it's done; the door will always be open. Just don't try doing it when I'm asleep, okay?"_

_"Okay Harry," Hermione replied, watching the waves and the almost peaceful scene before them, her mind at ease and her soul at peace in his embrace._

Chapter 19: New Year, Old Problems

On the last day of their holiday, Hermione once more awoke alone, but this time, instead of seeing her betrothed sat on the floor, his glowing body indicating that he was within his mindscape, there was only the sound of metal clashing with metal, a familiar teenage boy's voice laughing joyfully as the noise rang through the house.

Dressing in her robes, Hermione opened the door and had to duck back in as two blurry figures passed by their room, the Holy Knight of Ocean catching sight of Harry wielding Excalibur while opposite him, clearly overpowering, but not over-exerting the vitality of the Holy Knight of Thunder, was Sebastian, the two locked in what Hermione recognised as melee training.

Carefully stepping out of the room, Hermione watched as Harry parried and doubled-back on Sebastian's attacks, the steel of Excalibur matching Sebastian's sword, the older man clearly the superior swordsman as he went to attack every inch of the Holy Sword. Harry kept his weapon high, his strikes coming from above while his defence was either vertically-positioned or held across his chest, as if to defend his body from Sebastian's strikes.

'_Having fun Sparky?_' asked Hermione, slightly distracting Harry as he turned his head, the Holy Knight then having to duck as Sebastian came in with the edge of his sword. Stepping back, Harry held his sword before his face, before he lowered it to the side.

"I yield," he gasped, wiping his brow with the sleeve of his robe; to Hermione's untrained position, it seemed that Harry had been at this for some time, "How'd I do?"

"You still allow yourself to be distracted too easily," Sebastian commented, watching as Harry moved to Hermione's side, before the Order's Commander smiled as he added, "Though I guess where Hermione is concerned, you have a valid reason for distraction."

"Sorry Harry," Hermione told him, resting her head on his shoulder as Harry sheathed Excalibur, "I should have waited until you were done."

"No Mione," Harry replied, turning his head so that he could place a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Where you are concerned, I'd risk everything in a moment's distraction: you are the one distraction that I will never ignore, no matter what."

"Harry is right there," laughed the calm voice of Sirius, the Marauder poking his head over the banister from the stairs, "Is it safe to come out now?"

"Sorry Sirius," Harry sighed, "And yes, I was having fun Hermione: ever since I gave him the blade, Seba's been training me while we agreed that Elora would be your combat trainer, which leaves Felicia to train you with your powers and magicks and either Dante or Tyler to train me. So, what's wrong Sirius?"

"Minerva just gave me a fire-call," Sirius explained, "It's almost time to go and, according to her, Dumbledore wants to see you and Hermione when you get back to Hogwarts."

'_It was inevitable,_' Harry remarked, sighing deeply as he looked to Sebastian, "I'll need the Order with me and you'd better get ready for some serious emotional responses."

"As you command," Sebastian replied, Harry knowing that, now they were returning to school, he would fall back into his role as the commander of the Order. However, in all honesty, Harry was beginning to enjoy knowing that he had warriors and allies both as well as family and friends at his side: he didn't know whether it was because he was growing used to Sebastian's presence or whether it was because of the fact that, with every day that passed, they grew one day closer to Harry making his way to Camelot.

Dressing in their Hogwarts robes, Harry made his way down to the lounge where he and Sirius shared a farewell hug, the Lord of the Black Family whispering, "Next time you see me pup, I'll be a free man; oh," he then added, moving to the fireplace where he retrieved an envelope with Harry's name on it, "Here; that reminds me: Amelia wanted me to give this to you before you left. Something about an investigation that you asked her to perform regarding our not-so-favourite Potions Master."

"I know what this is," Harry nodded, pocketing the envelope and making his way out to the front garden where Remus was waiting, their current Defence Professor offering to Apparate Harry and Hermione straight to Hogsmeade given the summons they'd received. In an attempt to silence the oncoming storm that he could feel burning away inside him, Harry accepted the offer before he had Dobby send a message to Neville and Luna about them not being on the train.

It was time for the confrontation that Harry, in his own opinion, had been waiting all Christmas for…

**_HPHG_**

"Ugh," groaned Harry, clutching at his stomach, "Apparition; not my favourite mode of transport."

"You did well," Remus laughed, "Most people throw up on their first time."

'Can't imagine why,' thought Harry, trying to overcome the disorienting feeling that had filled his body when Remus had seemingly turned on the spot and, the next thing Harry knew, he had felt like he was being sucked down a swirling pipe before being dropped off outside Hogsmeade Village, the looming structure of Hogwarts School before them.

"Are you ready?" asked Hermione, seemingly healing Harry's motion sickness with a gentle kiss on his lips, "This won't be an easy encounter."

"I know," Harry replied, before he heard a collection of pops behind them as he added, "But it's all right: Seba's here with the Order."

Making their way up towards Hogwarts, Harry smiled when he saw Hagrid moving from his hut, the giant looking slightly sombre as he saw Harry waving to him. The happiness in Harry seemed to hit the floor as Hagrid then made his way over to them, his eyes filled with a dark foreboding as he looked to Remus.

"It's a good thing that yer 'ere 'Arry," Hagrid commented, his voice filled with a sadness that suddenly had Harry wanting Excalibur in his hand. "Dumbledore asked me ter come ter 'is office; Lucius Malfoy 'as made a complaint against me teachin's."

"Just please don't say that it's because of Buckbeak," Harry requested, his voice filled with strength and newfound determination.

"I wish I could 'Arry," Hagrid gulped, his usually friendly beetle-black eyes now threatening to fill with tears; Harry also felt Hermione suddenly clutching at his arm rather tightly, her own sadness and fear moving through their bond.

"But he's not dangerous," Harry snarled, "And what business is it of Malfoy's anyway?"

"His son," Hagrid gasped, "'E said Beaky attacked someone out of rage jus' because 'e tried ter get close an…"

"Hagrid," Harry told him, his voice firm and his silver eye now shining with such brightness that it looked like there were lightning bolts actually coming alive within its glow. "Buckbeak is my familiar and I will fight tooth and nail to protect him: you're right that it is a good thing I'm here and I think I know the other reason that Ferret Senior is here. Come on, we've got a headmaster to see."

"Harry," Remus warned him, "Mind your temper: you may be someone pretty high up, but Lucius has been playing his twisting-the-story-game for years."

"Thanks for the warning Remus," Harry remarked, nodding to the school, "You'd better get inside: leave the meeting to me and, just in case, get in touch with Amelia and tell her about this, would you?"

"Sure Harry," Remus replied, moving towards the school while Harry took a familiar path up towards Professor Dumbledore's office – the password this time being strawberry bonbons – before he stopped and, turning to Sebastian, heaved a sigh before speaking.

"Seba, you come in with Hermione and I," he instructed the commander, "The rest of the Order can wait at the bottom of the stairs in case they try to make a run for it. As your Lord, I give you permission to use extreme prejudice and whatever means necessary to immobilize anyone that tries to leave or disrupt this meeting."

"That's all right Harry," Tyler commented dryly, his own eyes on the door as he added, "I don't think any of us want to be too close to anyone in that room: we'll do as you command."

"Thanks Ty," Harry nodded, before he turned back to the door and knocked, hearing the reply from Dumbledore that told Harry enough: this was not going to be a good meeting.

Stepping inside, Sebastian at his side, Hermione with her hand in his as if to try and avoid Harry feeling the need to call out his blade, the Holy Knight's suspicions were proven correct: Lucius Malfoy was indeed standing before him, his dark eyes filled with the same malice and hatred from the day that Harry had tricked him into freeing Dobby. However, next to Lucius was the last woman Harry wanted to see and yet she was here: Molly Weasley looked ready to kill someone while, next to her, the Dead Man Walking was, as Harry had envisioned, wrapped in a thick blanket, shivering furiously.

"Oh," Harry remarked, his voice feigning shock as he spoke, "I see my little spell finally wore off: tell me, Lord Malfoy, how is darling Draco?"

"Potter," snarled Lucius, but Harry cut him off with but a glare.

"_Lord_ Potter," Harry added, removing his outer cloak and revealing his robe, the Potter Family Crest shown clearly on his right shoulder, trimmed in gold, but also giving Lucius a chance to notice Excalibur easily within reach of the Holy Knight. "To you, Lord Malfoy," Harry finished, looking now to Molly as he added, "And Lady Weasley: this is a surprise, my own Vassal House paying me a visit and in the same room as a Malfoy without shedding blood. Can someone call the Devil and see how Hell is enjoying its winter months because it must have frozen over?"

Hermione sniggered at Harry's joke while, behind the Weasleys, Harry heard a trill of amusement from Fawkes and even Professor Dumbledore, dressed in holly-berry red robes, managed a smile as he indicated a chair for Harry. "I am glad that you are here, Harry my boy; can you please take a seat so we can talk?"

"I'd sooner stand," Harry remarked, before he moved around the room and gently ran a hand over Fawkes' breast, the phoenix almost cooing softly as he felt the touch of the _real_ Lord around here. "Now," Harry continued, "Why was I summoned here Headmaster and can you also explain why my familiar is being threatened?"

"Your…what?" asked Dumbledore, watching as Harry faced Lucius, a cold, calculating smile on the face of the Holy Knight as he answered the headmaster.

"The Hippogriff known as Buckbeak," he answered calmly, "On what charges are you bringing Hagrid up on this time Malfoy?"

"That man," Lucius replied, his voice as cold and clipped as ever, "Willingly allowed your…familiar to assault a proud pureblood heir and threaten the safety of my own son: had it not been for your…assistance, my son could have been injured as bad, if not worse, than young Mister Weasley."

"Uh-huh," Harry replied, before he gave a hum of confusion as he asked, "Tell me, Lord Malfoy, do you know how to tame a Hippogriff?"

"Of course," Lucius scoffed, "I _am_ in correspondence with the head of the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures."

"And," Harry continued, "According to their own guidelines, what is the one thing that you should never do to a Hippogriff?"

"Well…" Lucius began, but Harry cut him off again as he turned to the still-shivering Ron.

"What about you Weasley?" he asked calmly, "Since you were the so-called injured party and you were in the lesson after dear little Draco was _nearly_ injured beyond repair: what is the one thing you should never do to a Hippogriff?"

"In-in-insult it," Ron stammered, his voice obviously weakened by the effects of Harry's little leaving present: a part of the Holy Knight actually began to wonder just how long the so-called injured party had been hanging there.

"Uh-huh," Harry replied, "And I can tell you from my own personal experience what happened in the lesson in question: first, Professor Hagrid introduced Buckbeak and I volunteered to show the class how to approach a Hippogriff. However, before I could perform the necessary routines, Buckbeak actually bowed to me and allowed me to stroke him, thus causing the bond between us that marks him as my familiar. Then, when Professor Hagrid rewarded me for my example and display of riding a Hippogriff, dear little Draco swaggered up and called Buckbeak a great, ugly brute."

"Well he was right," Ron laughed, not even noticing the folly he was doing, "Have you seen those things? I mean Gods above, they make trolls look like beauty queens."

"Perhaps," Harry agreed, "But I thank you Weasley, because you just provided me with a second voice: finally something you are good at: and, as if that wasn't bad enough, after the lesson, I had a meeting in the evening with Professor Hagrid and we were discussing Buckbeak when, would you believe it? Buckbeak makes one hell of a row, we all rush outside to see what all the commotion is and who do we find? One Ronald Weasley seemingly injured because of an attack that he says was all his own choice: yeah, and I'm the poster boy for Gringotts next beauty pageant…do they even have those?"

Hermione couldn't help but laugh and, this time, it was Sebastian who smiled as Harry looked to Lucius, his eyes filled with victory as he added, "And your son, surprise, surprise, was boasting all about it and all he could say when I confronted him was: _wait until my Father hears about this._ I mean for Salazar's sake Lucius, can't you teach your son a new warning? He's worse than a broken record, but I gave him fair warning: Buckbeak is the familiar of a Lord of a Pureblood House and the last Pure Knight of the Elemental Order. If I even hear word of an executioner's Axe, then the only one on the chopping block will be Draco…with this!"

With that, Harry unsheathed Excalibur, Ron actually shivering with what Harry could tell straight away was fear while Lucius, hearing Harry's declaration, could only feel a sense of disbelief and horror.

"A…A Pure Knight?" he asked, "As in…"

"As in a Holy Knight," Harry replied, now revealing the Crest of the Knights as he held on tightly to Excalibur, "The Holy Knight of Thunder, to be exact; wielder and master of the Holy Sword Excalibur, Heir of Godric Gryffindor _and_ Salazar Slytherin and new leader of the Elemental Order. So tell me, Lord Malfoy, what were you going to do about Buckbeak?"

"I…I…I…"

"Oh great," Harry sighed, "Another broken record."

"Like Father, Like Son," Hermione added.

"Shut your mouth, you useless mudblood!" snapped Molly, Harry's anger now spiking, an ominous rumble of thunder echoing through the room as the Holy Knight rounded on her.

"And who gave you permission to speak _bitch?_" asked Harry, "Why are you here anyway? Did you go begging to Malfoy here for a truce to defend your Ickle Ronniekins after I left him high and dry, or should that be high and icy?"

"You know very well what you did boy!" Molly hissed, Harry's silver eye now flashing dangerously; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sebastian reaching for his own sword while Hermione stepped back: she could feel what was coming and, if Molly didn't shut her mouth, then the tempest was coming to Hogwarts. "You took the word of this mudblood over two prominent pureblood heirs and left them in conditions that would have seen them in St Mungo's for weeks: what right have you to leave them there? My poor boy could have…"

"ENOUGH!"

The roar was so loud that, in every part of Hogwarts, portraits and ghosts all stopped, while back in Dumbledore's office, the Hogwarts Sorting Hat was now speaking, one of the portraits in the office now holding not a previous headmaster, but a familiar Founder.

"Godric," Harry gasped, "What brings you…"

"Not just me Harry," answered the first Lord Gryffindor, "All of us: Alistair, if you would?"

"Of course Godric," the hat replied, before he seemed to glow all of a sudden, a silvery cloud rising from the hat, the look of the cloud actually making Dumbledore look frightened.

"Now Godric," he remarked, "I have a fully-working Pensieve and…"

"And Hogwarts sees all old man," Godric hissed, before he looked to Harry as he added, "Harry, could you place the hat on your head and think about the incident in question?"

"Of course Godric," Harry replied, moving to the Sorting Hat where, as soon as he placed it upon his head, all those present bore witness to the events of the last week of term;

_Flashback_

_"Is anything amiss here?"_

_"No Harry," answered Lavender Brown, "Oh, but Hermione did come in earlier; then she got a letter."_

_"A letter?" asked Harry, "From whom?"_

_"Well…you," Lavender answered, "Didn't you ask her to meet you in the place where you first became friends for a private discussion…"_

_She didn't get a chance to finish; Harry had turned on his heel and raced down the stairs, moving towards the girls bathroom where he had first made friends with his brown-haired betrothed, Excalibur's blade suddenly glowing as it sensed magic at work here._

_Harry didn't bother with subtlety this time: a familiar feeling of protectiveness rose within him, seemingly summoning the four winds from all around him as he stood before the door, Excalibur shining brighter than ever. Using only his will to protect his girl, Harry summoned the power of the wind and coalesced its energy into a single, powerful tornado that sent the door flying off its hinges, just as a familiar cry came from within._

_"Hermione!" Harry roared, moving like lightning, his eyes narrowed dangerously, his silver eye suddenly looking more like a fog barrier than its usual shining lightning appearance as he saw just what was going on._

_Crabbe and Goyle, hearing Harry's cry, had turned to intercept the threat, but not before Harry had called on the power of his Storm side and used the time of year as an inspiration. Sweeping Excalibur forwards, Harry sealed Crabbe and Goyle in place, a veil seemingly made from ice and snow freezing the two gorillas where they stood, the sound of a cubicle opening and, before he knew what was going on, Harry found himself under attack from a brown-haired missile._

_'_Kitten?_' asked Harry, suddenly discovering his bond to be stronger than before._

_'_Sparky?_' asked Hermione, '_It is you: I'm sorry; I was only trying to help: he tricked me._'_

_'_Hush Kitten,_' Harry replied, running his hand through her brown hair, looking over her shoulder as he told her, '_I'm here now_.'_

_Gently nudging her aside, Harry stood tall and proud as he declared, "There's only one person in this school those two thugs would listen to: show yourself Malfoy!"_

_Malfoy appeared from the same cubicle that Hermione had been in, but he wasn't alone: Ron Weasley accompanied him, his trousers almost undone, his face showing a look of rage and a shiner that would be there for some time._

_"You…sick…bastards," Harry snarled, "What the fuck were you thinking of doing to her?"_

_"Teaching filth like her a lesson she won't forget," Ron laughed, "She took away our friendship Harry; she needed to be punished. After all, I'm the only one who could ever truly love her: what could you love about someone like her?"_

_"Oh I don't know Ron," Harry replied, the hurricane that had been building up now blowing through the bathroom, Ron and Draco being pushed against the wall where they hung like ornaments, Ron's trousers now falling to the floor with the impact of the wind. Harry, keeping a very close eye on his Hermione, continued, "Maybe it's her kind heart, her willingness to forgive and forget, her honesty, her sheer raw magical presence or maybe, just maybe, I love her for being her."_

_"What?" asked Draco, "A sick, bookworm of a Mudblood who thinks she's good enough to share the same breathing space as purebloods like us?"_

_"Malfoy," Harry growled, "Wrong question!"_

_Excalibur's blade began to crackle and spark, Harry's silver eye now glowing with the full power of the elements at his command as he pushed his sword outwards, the blade unleashing a torrent of white lightning that struck Malfoy, Harry's voice cutting into him. "That's for calling her a Mudblood!"_

_He then turned his lightning on Ron, the red-headed asshole screaming as the full power of the storm coursed through him, "That's for doing what I sincerely hope you weren't trying to do."_

_Lowering Excalibur, Harry then sheathed his sword, placed his hands together, a torrent of ice, snow, fire and lightning all coming together as he looked to the two guilty party, his voice now like thunder as he boomed, "And this is for trying to think that you could harm my Hermione and get away with it!"_

_Thrusting his hands out, Harry watched as the four elemental powers coalesced and struck the two still hanging wizards, Malfoy suddenly becoming a mix of ice and fire that formed hard crystal, sealing him in place while Ron was less lucky; the snow and rain from Harry's summoned storm enveloped him before the lightning appeared to burnish the collection of elements, freezing him in place, both of them looking more like Christmas Tree decorations than proud wizards._

_Lowering his hands, Harry stepped back, the winds dying down, Hermione moving slowly to his side as she asked, "How…how did you…"_

_"You'd be surprised what I can do when my girl is in danger," Harry remarked, before he put his arm around her and kissed her on the lips, Hermione melting into his embrace, Harry then aware of her hand going to his pocket as they parted._

_"Why didn't you confirm that letter with the bond?" asked Harry, placing his forehead against Hermione's, "I would never deceive you Kitten; you know that."_

_"I do," Hermione replied, "I'm sorry Sparky: I did consider confirming it, but then something appeared to call me here; I think the parchment was laced with charms."_

_"Did," Harry asked, a growl to his voice as he held Hermione, "Did…they do anything to you?"_

_"They tried," Hermione replied, "Malfoy said he wasn't going to soil himself with me, so Ron told me that he was going to make sure I was his: Harry, I was so scared."_

_"Hush Kitten," Harry replied, running a soft hand through her hair, "I'm here now: they'll never touch you again."_

_Flashback End_

When Harry removed the hat from his head, he was met with a mixed reaction that moved through the room: while everyone had been watching, Amelia Bones had turned up and had seen everything and now she was trying her hardest not to throw up, while Ron was just staring, Molly looked almost offended and Lucius was stone-faced.

"Well," Godric finally spoke up, "Thank you Harry; now, I think it would be best if you took Hermione to the Wing; she'll need some calming down."

True to his words, Harry saw that Hermione was in Sebastian's embrace, her eyes unable to look upon the memories of what had _almost_ happened; stepping forwards, Harry looked to Lucius and, with all the strength that he could muster, he hissed, "Tell Draco this: he tries to touch her again, even helps to orchestrate her kidnapping again and the last thing you will see of him is the bars of his Azkaban cell and that's _if_ I let him live!"

Lucius had no reply;

Harry, turning back to the table, faced down Dumbledore as he then added, "And you, old man, stay the hell out of my life: how you could allow something like that to happen and to blame _me?_ You're no great wizard, Albus Dumbledore: you're a monster!"

"And how fortunate that you were there Harry," Godric added, "Because with this in effect, I can do this!"

As everyone watched, Godric snapped his fingers, before there was a roar like a lion being shot and, when everyone turned to the source of the noise, they gasped in a mixture of shock, justice and horror:

Ron Weasley's Gryffindor Lion was gone;

In its place…was a Slytherin Serpent…

**_HPHG_**

Safely back in the Wing, Harry avoided questions from Tonks – who had followed them as per Amelia's request – as well as the other Order members and managed to make his way up to their bedroom, Hermione soon finding herself in the arms of her betrothed, her shakes and tearful sobs breaking Harry's heart but also dousing the fires of his anger as he held onto her.

"I'm so sorry Kitten," he whispered, running his hand through her hair, "I should have asked Seba to take you out of there."

"N-not y-your fault," Hermione sobbed, "You did the r-right thing S-Sparky: what d-d-did Godric do to R-R-that Dead Man Walking _bastard_?"

"Unsorted him," Harry replied, running a hand over Excalibur's blade as he explained, "I felt it: Ron was removed from Gryffindor by the will of the Founders; because I used the hat, Alistair, to see the memories, Godric had that right: Ron was immediately resorted into the only other House available. Guess they thought him more of a, in his words, slimy snake than a proud member of the pride: either way, I still won't allow him to do anything to you."

"I know you won't," Hermione replied, snuggling into her boyfriend's embrace as she brushed her lips against his, "That's why I love you so much."

**Chapter 19 and it appears that Harry has the advocate he thought he did: Hogwarts herself, but can Ron find a way to get revenge or will the school stop him at every turn?**

**Also, what was it about Harry's mantle that seemed to frighten Lucius Malfoy so much?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Harry discovers some home truths about Severus Snape and confronts the man about them: can the past finally be laid to rest? Also, Professor Flitwick wants a word with Harry about his Advanced Charms work and Hagrid has a rather interesting lesson for the Gryffindors; plus, it's the end of the year and Hermione has a secret to tell Harry…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Also, in regards to Harry's new friend – the dragon – if anyone has ideas for a name, I'd love to hear them; only thing is: it will be a FEMALE dragon;**


	20. The Black Unicorn

Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 19:**

**Jediprankster: I was hoping for some kind of calm name, so those are good ideas; thanks for that and the idea is a good one as well;**

**StormyFireDragon: He should've, but he didn't; I appreciate your words of encouragement Storm;**

**Texan-muggle: when I put that in, my own computer's check corrected it to that;**

**Ladywatertiger: I would love to know where you got that name from; sounds very mystical;**

**Aealket: You won't have long to wait: 3rd year only has about two chapters left and then the real fun can begin;**

**BARON2462: Yeah, it does seem that way, doesn't it? Why didn't he get expelled? Maybe because I choose to have a bit more fun with our favourite punching bag;**

**Loki Palmer: A funny comment about Ron and, as for the name, that could work, but I didn't want to use another's source;**

**MariusDarkwolf: No, he's going to be in paradise – I'm being sarcastic;**

_"I'm so sorry Kitten," he whispered, running his hand through her hair, "I should have asked Seba to take you out of there."_

_"N-not y-your fault," Hermione sobbed, "You did the r-right thing S-Sparky: what d-d-did Godric do to R-R-that Dead Man Walking bastard?"_

_"Unsorted him," Harry replied, running a hand over Excalibur's blade as he explained, "I felt it: Ron was removed from Gryffindor by the will of the Founders; because I used the hat, Alistair, to see the memories, Godric had that right: Ron was immediately resorted into the only other House available. Guess they thought him more of a, in his words, slimy snake than a proud member of the pride: either way, I still won't allow him to do anything to you."_

_"I know you won't," Hermione replied, snuggling into her boyfriend's embrace as she brushed her lips against his, "That's why I love you so much."_

Chapter 20: The Black Unicorn

The next morning, amidst a whirlwind of emotions that threatened to consume him, Harry found his way down to the Lion's Wing Common Room, his hand holding tight to the letter that Amelia had sent him; in his rage and anger against the Malfoys, the Dead Man Walking – though now he was a Slytherin, he was _that_ – and Dumbledore, Harry had completely forgotten about it, but now, seated in front of a warm fire, Harry peeled the envelope open and read the letter:

_Lord Potter (Harry)_

_I am sorry that the results of my investigation that you requested last summer have taken so long; combined with meetings, barricades against the information and discovering the home truths that you requested have taken their time. However, at the end of it all, I think you'll find the information that I present to you very informative._

_Enclosed is a magical copy of the official Last Will of Lily and James Potter, both of whom revised their wills the day before they…well, you get the idea, but here is the information that you requested on one Severus Snape._

_As you heard, he does indeed owe a life-debt to one James Marcus Potter for saving his life from a werewolf in their younger years; my research puts the time of the life-debt around their third or fourth year. However, and here is the irony, there are many recorded cases of Snape trying to claim he has fulfilled his debt to you and your Father; however, the identity of the werewolf in question is unavailable._

_I have also discovered that, in the event of the death of one Sirius Black, your Mother, Lily Alexandra Evans, placed an edict against Snape saying that he was to become your honorary godfather and guardian and that, in this time – though you may wish to tell him yourself – he was to be given this message:_

_"I forgive you!"_

_Whatever this means, I am unsure, but it may be in your favour to visit Professor Snape and speak openly with him about this; show him this letter and the enclosed will as evidence and make sure he does not show them to Dumbledore. I fear that Dumbledore may have tried to manipulate the situation away from what Lily and James wanted;_

_Should you have anything else that you need of me, do not hesitate to contact me;_

_Awaiting our next meeting;_

_Amelia Bones_

_Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

_Ministry Of Magic_

_PS: the time for the Dog Star's Second Coming has been arranged for the anniversary of the coming of the Storm._

Looking to that last message, Harry felt a mixture of rage and unconfirmed sorrow brewing inside him: his Father had risked his neck against a werewolf to save that biased teacher's life and now Harry was being treated like scum on his shoe?

'No,' he thought, 'Not anymore: but that last message…'

Reading through it several times, Harry's mind clicked as he translated what was obviously a well thought-out message: the Dog Star was the constellation that held the name Sirius, as in Sirius Black; Second Coming must mean his trial and the anniversary of the coming of the Storm: well, there was only one Storm at Hogwarts.

Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder;

'My birthday,' Harry clicked, 'Sirius' trial has been set for my birthday: hope that Dan and Emma won't mind this.'

Summoning a parchment and ink, Harry quickly wrote two replies: one to Amelia, thanking her and adding that if anything changed, then he would contact her and then a second reply to Dan and Emma, telling them to inform Sirius of the news as well as providing a copy of the letter from Amelia.

Calling on Dobby, Harry sent his loyal friend to issue the replies while he turned his attention to the other pieces of parchment; as soon as he lay his fingers on them, a sudden warmth rushed through him that seemed to tell him what the letter had informed him.

'Maybe I should have waited before sending the reply to Mum and Dad,' he thought to himself, opening the first of the parchments: it was the will of his Mother, Lily;

_I, Lily Alexandra Evans, being of sound mind and body, do hereby grant the following inheritances to the following candidates:_

_First, to my good friend Remus John Lupin, I leave 500,000 Galleons to buy yourself some new robes and to provide you with the means to have the home and life you always wanted; to that end, I also leave you with the Deer Cottage in Wales as your new place of residence; you were always a good friend Remus and you tried to do the right thing; now keep it up and please, Moony, watch out for Harry;_

_Next, to the old dog who I trust with my son's life, Sirius Black; I leave you 100,000 Galleons and you WILL take them; just think of them as an allowance to spend on Harry because I also leave you with the official guardianship of my only son and, if he so wishes, I leave you the right to be known as his Daddy; I know James won't mind;_

_To my distant relative – and I mean EXTREMELY DISTANT – Petunia; I leave you with a one-way ticket…straight to hell! You deserve nothing; not Harry, not the family gold, not even the Manor; if anyone even thinks of sending Harry to you, they will find themselves in for a world of hurt when they meet me on the other side; have a nice life Tuney, because I know I will;_

_To Severus Snape, my oldest, first and truest of friends, I leave 25,000 Galleons and the following message: I forgive you and I'm sorry that I let my love for James affect how I saw you; you are not a Death Eater and you should know by now that I am no Mudblood; you are the bravest man I ever met and, were it not for our House differences, there may have been the chance I could call you the Father to my child. So, to that end, I leave you the right to call yourself the honorary godfather to my son Harry; please Severus, he's my son as well as James' and, if you can raise him as well as I would hope and reconcile your relationship with Sirius and Remus, then you can consider the debt owed to me and James fulfilled;_

_Finally, to my son and the brightest star in my life, Harry James Potter, I leave you with two things: first, I leave you with the remainder of the Evans Family Fortune and the ownership of the Evangelion Castle in Ireland; your life is your own now son and, other than Sirius, Remus and, hopefully, Severus, you are free to decide your own destiny without anyone's help;_

_Second, I leave you with the family legacy: you see Harry, your Daddy and I are descendants of an ancient band of warriors known as the Holy Knights and you, as a Twice-Blessed Knight's Heir, are a powerful Pure Knight: if James is right, then you will be known as the Holy Knight of Thunder; however, because of your Twice-Blessed heritage, it is possible that you may be recognised as worthy of the mantle of Arch-Knight, the leader and ruler of the Holy Knight's domain of Camelot. Do not be afraid of your powers or your allies, but ensure that those who you choose as your allies are in fact worthy of your trust; choose the right kind of girl as your beloved for when you choose her, she will be bestowed with the powers of the Knights as you have been, so follow your heart and not your head._

_In closing, I can only say that I hope that those mentioned have a nice life and that, in my own way, I loved each and every one of them, even those I didn't really love – that's you Petunia;_

_Now my soul can rest in peace and my spirit can soar within my son;_

_I will always be with you Harry; be safe, be strong and know that you are loved;_

_Lily Evans – Mum_

Tears of loss and memory threatened to consume Harry for the second time in a month: the message that he had seen in Godric's Hollow, in Albion House; it now had meaning and, with this, Harry would be able to get the answers he had sought from that lying, deceitful greasy-haired git known as Severus Snape.

'A Twice-Blessed Knight,' he thought, looking again to that little tidbit of information, 'No wonder I was told that my powers would match those of all seven Knights and, now that I look back, I realise that Godric and Emrys were right: I have acquired a new Anointed: Neville. Now, let's see what my Father's real last wishes were.'

Wiping his eyes, Harry opened the second parchment and read the information within:

_I, James Marcus Potter, being of sound mind and body – not a word Moony or Padfoot – do hereby grant the following inheritances to the following candidates:_

_First, to my brother in all but blood, Remus John Lupin, I leave 250,000 Galleons and the Marauder's Journal as well as a wish; get yourself a life Moony and don't, no matter what, don't you dare abandon my Prongslet; he is everything to me and, if you even think of allowing Albus anywhere near him or the Family, you will pay;_

_Second, to my second brother in all but blood, Sirius Black, I leave an apology: I hope you can forgive me for buying into Dumbledore's lies about you and the Black Family; as proof of what our kinship means to me, I leave you with the rights to the Potter Family Home of Albion House and the title of godfather to my little Harry; he is all we have left Siri, take care of him;_

_To one Snivellus…sorry Lily, Severus Snape, I leave the following message: I'm sorry; I shouldn't have singled you out because you were different and because you were a Slytherin; Remus was always on your side, though you may not know it, and, if Lily's will has been issued, you'll see what the both of us would like; accept that duty Snape and your debt to me will be paid;_

_Finally, to my Prongslet, Harry James Potter, I leave everything I am and everything I own: you are now Lord Potter – as of your 11th birthday – and you are also the legitimate owner of Potter Manor in Canada and the full fortunes of our family, including the lineage that Lily and I have bonded to after so many generations;_

_You Harry, are a Holy Knight, an ancient warrior whose power comes from the elemental forces of nature; your mantle will be the Holy Knight of Thunder but, because of your lineage – both Potter and Evans being descendants of the First Knights – your power will be greater than all seven knights combined and you will be known as the Arch-Knight, the commander of the Holy Knights and the rightful Master of the Knight's command post of Camelot._

_I hope that you do not fear this destiny Prongslet as you will not be alone in it: you will have Padfoot – Sirius, Moony – Remus and, if he chooses to accept my apology and Lily's message, you will also have Severus on your side. On top of that, you will have your Defenders and soldiers of the Knights, known as the Order of Pendragon. You should meet them soon and, if by the time you see or hear this will, you have met them, then know that their number one concern in their lifetime is keeping you alive and strong. They are all trustworthy and all subservient to the legacy and commands of the Holy Knights; they will protect you Prongslet, so take care of yourself;_

_Make us proud Harry, we love you very much;_

_James Potter – Dad_

'Mum,' Harry thought, his cheeks now wet with tears, 'Dad: I'll make you proud; I'll keep my power as strong as it is and I will honour your wishes, I swear it.'

Loosening his hold on the parchment, Harry let the copy of the last wills fall to the floor, his hands and body shaking with loss as he allowed himself to feel the full brunt of his pain for what he had lost because of the lies and manipulations of one man.

As he sat there, Harry suddenly felt a pair of arms snake around his neck, a familiar female voice whispering in his ear, "What's wrong? What did you see?"

"My whole life has been a lie," Harry replied, "I wasn't meant to go near the Dursleys and I wasn't meant to be punished because of Dad by Snape; Hermione…I…I…oh I miss them; I miss them so much."

Hermione, moving around the chair, took her boyfriend into her lap and lay his head on her shoulder, feeling his tears and his pain not only on her body, but within her mind, her hand moving through his dark hair as she let him cry, her own eyes on the parchments at their feet.

"I know you do Harry," she replied, "I know."

**_HPHG_**

Harry didn't waste time;

No sooner had he recovered from his sadness and his loss-induced tears than he was on his feet and moving down towards the dungeons, Excalibur in his hand and Hermione at his side, the Holy Knight of Ocean having told the Order that this one was personal, so they should stay in the Wing. Reaching the dungeons, Harry began counting doors until he found the Potions Laboratory; recalling what he had seen and done one year before when he and Weasley had been impersonating Slytherins, Harry moved two more doors down before he stopped and knocked hard, the reply from within not exactly friendly.

"Who dares to cause such an infernal…" the door opened and Severus Snape revealed his face, "Potter! I should have kn-"

BANG!

With the force of a hurricane, both man and door were thrown aside, Severus now being pinned to his seat, Hermione – who once would have gasped in horror at the sight of them attacking a teacher – now stone faced as she stood at the door, keeping people out and them in.

"You!" snarled Harry, his silver eye now flashing with a full lightning storm, "You lying, treacherous greasy-haired bastard! I want a word with you and I'm not leaving until I'm done."

"Who the hell do you think you are Potter?" asked Snape, his eyes narrowed as he found himself bound by the swirling winds of the hurricane, the office, much to his surprise, not even affected by the weather.

"Who do I think I am?" Harry repeated, "I think I am Harry James Potter, son of Lily Alexandra Evans and James Marcus Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, Twice-Blessed Knight's Heir, Lord of the Elements and owner of the Holy Sword Excalibur; I think I am the new Lord to the Potter and Evans fortunes and I think, Snivellus Snape that I am the one who you are going to listen to for once and, if you don't, I will see you in Azkaban!"

As was the norm whenever Harry grew angry, a bolt of lightning struck both sides of Severus' desk, the Potions Master now losing all his snide remarks and his sneering looks: Potter had not only frozen Malfoy and Weasley in place for attempted rape, but he had forced Hogwarts to put that Weasley in Slytherin and stood up to Lucius. Not to mention the power he had just to tame those elements as well as he had done, even _if_ it had been in anger, it had still been powerful.

"Calm your storm, Lord Potter," Severus gasped out, "And you have my full attention; I swear it."

Drawing the power of the winds back into his magic, Harry reached into his pocket and withdrew the three pieces of parchment from Amelia, before he placed them on the desk and, in as much of a calm voice, he commanded, "Read them!"

Taking the parchments, Severus began to read the information, all the while aware of Harry using his magic to repair the office and all that had been broken, Hermione giving him a soft kiss on the cheek as the Potions Master continued reading; when he got to the part concerning him, the eyes of the Slytherin Head widened and, as he looked from the letters to Harry, he asked, "Is…is this…"

"Real," Harry finished, "Those are my parents' official Last Will and Testaments and they both quite clearly not only offer you an apology, but also say that my Mother forgives you and, as if that isn't enough, they _willingly_ entrust you with my life should one Sirius Black be unable to look after me."

"But," Severus gasped, "I was told…I never…oh my God…what have I…"

"Done?" finished Harry, "Well let's count them off shall we? You insult a boy who knew nothing of magic or his heritage of having nothing but a desire for fame; you threaten me several times with expulsions and abuse when I got enough of that at the hands of my so-called caring relatives; in fact, Snape, the only time you ever did anything for me was in that Quidditch match when you stopped Quirrell from killing me."

"Potter," Severus whispered, looking back to the letter, "Lily…oh Merlin…I never…I didn't want…"

"She still cared for you," Harry told him, "I don't know what you did to upset her, but if she forgave you for it, on her death bed I might add, and then she entrusts you with the life of her son, what does that tell you? That she wants to keep the rivalries going so that her soul can never rest in peace or that she chooses to leave the past where it is? In the past!"

"But," Severus gulped, "Everything you did; all those times you let arrogance and recklessness…"

"That was because I didn't know better," Harry explained, "Haven't you seen it sir? In the past five months, so much has changed in me and I'm allowing it to continue changing me: I have the girl of my dreams, my magic at full strength, friends and allies, a family that loves me and soon I will also have my godfather and a new lease on life, but what could that mean if my parents' memories are being dishonoured by someone like you? Someone they choose, willingly, to forgive and offer the olive branches of hope and friendship? What do I do then Professor Snape?"

Severus, looking again to the letters and wills, gave a sigh before he looked to Harry, seeing the Holy Knight in a new light; as he stared into those heterochromic eyes, the Potions Master actually felt a set of mental defences being lowered, before a soft, trusting voice, told him, "Take a look if you want; you'll see I'm telling the truth."

Severus…didn't take a look; he could see it in the eyes; though they were dry as stone, the Potions Master knew from experience when someone had been crying and had shown true pain and wanted nothing more than to set it right. Time was, Potter…no, Harry wouldn't have dared to blast the door down like he had done there; he wouldn't have had the power, never mind the balls.

"Is it too late?" Severus asked, his voice low and asking only for forgiveness, "For things to be put right."

"No," Harry replied, "The life debt is still in effect until you choose to accept me as who I really am; that's what the will is saying: my parents, Lily and James, are offering you the chance to do the right thing. If you want the chance, Professor…Severus, then I'll give it to you and use Excalibur's magic to cancel the debt, but I don't want us as enemies…not when my Dad apologised and my Mum forgave you. Please…"

Severus looked up suddenly, his eyes wide as he saw Harry was now standing across from him, the boy on his knees before the Potions Master, his free hand extended in friendship and a unity that Severus had only ever truly felt around Lily; what she had said in the letter: _were it not for our House differences, there may have been the chance I could call you the Father to my child_.

"Lily," Severus whispered, extending a hand to Harry, but, instead of placing it in Harry's hand, he gently clasped the boy on the shoulder and, in a calm, true voice that _didn't_ sound like his jaws were glued together, he added, "Harry, thank you for bringing this to me: I, Severus Snape, ask _your_ forgiveness for everything and ask that you can trust me as well as you do your protectors."

"You have my forgiveness Severus," Harry told him, looking into those dark eyes of the Slytherin Head, "And, if your words speak truth, I would be honoured to call you my friend and a member of my external family."

While the two shook hands, as if to seal the deal, Severus noticed the look on the face of Hermione Granger and, for the first time in his life, there wasn't a single thing about the Gryffindor that bothered him;

For when he looked at her, Severus saw tears in her eyes that he knew were for more than Harry's offer of redemption;

It was for their future…

**_HPHG_**

Severus was as good as his word;

After they had shook hands, Harry had willingly invited the man an open invitation to Albion House with the condition that he doesn't tell Dumbledore anything of their meetings. After hearing about what had happened and what Harry had said to the man, Severus gave his word in magic and on Excalibur that his only ally was Harry and his team. As he put it, "Light, Dark, Grey; it won't matter to me; all that matters now Harry is that we can honour the memories of Lily and James. So yes, I swear on my magic and on the power of your sword, Excalibur that I will stand with you in the battles that are to come."

Now that the holidays were over, Hogwarts began to get back to normal, albeit the truly frosty response that Ron Weasley was given now that he was a member of the Slytherin House. It surprised Harry that neither Fred, George or Ginny acknowledged the boy's presence and that the only Gryffindor who still stood with Ron was – surprise, surprise – Percy Bighead Boy Weasley.

January soon disappeared and the spring term was well underway; in all of his lessons, Harry's magical knowledge and use of his skills came in handy: the three he found himself enjoying most of all were Care of Magical Creatures, Advanced Charmcasting and Defence Against The Dark Arts; Hagrid had started them on other avionic creatures and, one Friday afternoon lesson at the end of January, he gave them a topic that surprised Harry.

"Is everyone 'ere?" he asked, seeing the Gryffindors and Slytherins gathered, "Excellent; now then, after yeh all did so well with the 'Ippogriffs, I decided ter ask the Ministry fer a few special favours; tell me, 'as anyone ever seen a Unicorn before?"

Several hands went into the air, namely Harry, Hermione, Neville and Draco, all of whom had seen the unicorn in their first year when Hagrid had taken them into the Forest.

"Well," Hagrid explained, "I can tell yeh now tha' these unicorns ain't going to be like any yeh seen b'fore: follow me."

Following Hagrid, Harry looked over to the professor's hut where he saw Buckbeak lying down and enjoying the cool springtime air, the feathers of the Hippogriff ruffling in the wind. Facing forwards again, Harry tapped Hermione's side as he asked, "Fancy going flying later? I promise nothing bad will happen to you."

"I'd love to," Hermione replied, before she looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she asked, "On Buckbeak?"

"I haven't seen him in a while," Harry replied, "Might make a good way to ease off some of the nerves I'm feeling."

"We'll have to ask…oh," she suddenly gasped, looking forwards again, "Hagrid: they're…beautiful."

Following her gaze, Harry found himself agreeing, but, when he saw it, he didn't believe his eyes: before him was indeed a unicorn – its pale horn and gorgeous, magical silver eyes shining in the light of the woodlands – but other than the basic appearance, this unicorn's furry coat was a sleek shade of _black_. It had four powerful hooves and a mane that appeared to be made from silk hairs; either side of the black unicorn were a pair of large black feathery wings that were tipped with silver along the outer edge.

'Black Unicorn Feathers,' Harry thought, 'Like what Ollivander said was in my wand, but, other than the wings, what's the difference?'

"Now," Hagrid spoke up, "I do want ter warn yeh that unless 'e trusts yeh, don't even think of tryin' ter approach 'im, and _listen_ this time, yes?"

"Yes Professor," the class replied, Harry feeling slightly aware that Hagrid was probably addressing the Slytherins with that remark.

"Now," Hagrid continued, "Can anyone tell me anything abou' the Black Unicorn?"

"Only that its feathers are used in wandmaking," Harry spoke up, his eyes on the magnificent beast before them, "I have one such feather in my own wand."

"Tha's an excellent example Mr Potter," Hagrid beamed, "But do you notice anything else? Anythin' that may seem a little bit different ter a normal unicorn?"

"The…mane?" asked Harry, "A normal unicorn has a mane of hair, but it's usually centred around the horn."

"Right again," Hagrid exclaimed, "Five points ter Gryffindor; now, fer those who don't know; a Black Unicorn is considered ter be quite a rare beast; their wings, as you see there, are the result of the horse-like creatures known as Pegasus while the black 'orn is a sign of affinity not ter the day, but with the power o' night: Black Unicorns, yeh see, are nocturnal creatures and their manes, as Mr Potter said, are used to guide the wayward travellers in the lost mountains. Unlike a Hippogriff or a Manticore, they're not really dangerous, but if you're lookin at one up close, do not blink when yeh lookin into his eyes. Also, Black Unicorns are not ridin' creatures; they're free spirits whose feathers, 'orn and coat are hunted by poachers because of its rarity; sad really."

"They're still beautiful creatures," Harry whispered, before the class all gasped as the Black Unicorn stepped up to Harry and Hermione and seemed to nuzzle them, before puffing at Harry's black hair and Hermione's face, both of the Holy Knights reaching out with their hands slowly and gently, the Black Unicorn nuzzling Harry's hand.

However, as Harry ran his hand over the horn, something completely unexpected happened: the black unicorn's horn snapped clean off, the beautiful creature looking to the horn sadly before he puffed Harry's cheek again.

"What happened?" asked Neville, watching as the spot where the horn had been began to glow, a mysterious almost slimy surface covering the stump on the unicorn's head.

"It 'appens when a unicorn ages," Hagrid explained, "Tha's another reason they're so rare: Black Unicorn horns are stronger than diamond and have been used for weapons and riches; when they age 'nother year, the 'orn snaps off and it takes a lunar cycle fer a new one ter grow; 'Arry," he added, seeing the unicorn nudging Harry's hand, "I think 'e wants yeh ter 'ave his 'orn."

"Wow," Harry whispered, petting the creature softly as Hermione just stared in awe, her own eyes watching as the unicorn spread his beautiful silver-tipped wings and bowed to him in a style to Buckbeak.

Returning the bow, Harry reached out with his mind until he found the consciousness of the creature, '_Thank you,_' he whispered mentally, '_I will take good care of your horn; I promise._'

Then, as the students watched, the unicorn seemed to turn and retreat into the woodlands, before there was a rush of wings and the beautiful creature took to the skies, Hermione's eyes now on the ground. Following her gaze, Harry gasped in awe when he saw what was now lying at the feet of his betrothed;

A beautiful, silver-edged Black Unicorn feather;

'_Looks like he wanted my mate to have a gift as well,_' Harry told her, before he scooped up the feather and subtly placed it in Hermione's pocket.

**Chapter 20 and there you have it: for those who were wondering about Black Unicorns, there's your explanation, but why would Harry and Hermione be offered gifts and what will they do with them?**

**Plus, can certain other parties of the past forgive Severus as easily as Harry and Lily have done?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Professor Flitwick wants a word with Harry about his Advanced Charms work and it's the end of the year and Hermione has a secret to tell Harry…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Also, in regards to Harry's new friend – the dragon – if anyone has ideas for a name, I'd love to hear them; only thing is: it will be a FEMALE dragon;**


	21. A Stormy End

The Chronicles of Camelot: Stormy Waters

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 20:**

**Strawberry Moon Bunny: A couple of impressive ideas there; thank you for your review;**

**StormyFireDragon: a nice idea and something that I may do when Harry and co attend Camelot;**

**Airlady: Maybe it's because I can't help but see him as a nice guy or because of what happened in the movie, I don't know, but either way, I just CAN'T hate Severus Snape anymore;**

**Jediprankster: An impressive theory and, if you think about it, it's true; also, yes, the others ARE giving the old banshee the silent treatment;**

**Loki Palmer: Humorous and yet oh so true; sadly, as I may have said before, Malfoy will not be an enemy for much longer;**

**Ladygoddess8: I have an idea for Hermione's familiar that will be revealed when they travel to the realm of Camelot;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Thanks for pointing that out; I was actually going on the movie – unless I mistook that bit;**

**MariusDarkwolf: A very funny situation and one that so far, has my vote for the name;**

**Harryhermionealways: the fun is beginning and ending, sad to say, with this chapter;**

**Francis Black: I would love to know where you got those ideas from, but they are good ones;**

**ALSO: AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, THE TITLE OF THIS STORY HAS BEEN CHANGED TO THE CHRONICLES OF CAMELOT; IT WILL STILL BE WRITTEN AS ONE STORY, BUT IT WILL NOW BE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE ADVENTURES FOR THE TIMES AND GOINGS-ON OF THAT TIME; AT THE MOMENT, THE CHRONICLES LOOK LIKE THIS:**

**Stormy Waters (3rd Year) – Swords of Destiny (Summer of 3rd year and beginning of 4th including their time in Camelot) – Circle of Seven (4th year and the summer that follows) – Holy War (5th year onwards)**

**SO, ENJOY THE CHRONICLES AND, AS ALWAYS, CONTINUE TO REVIEW;**

_Then, as the students watched, the unicorn seemed to turn and retreat into the woodlands, before there was a rush of wings and the beautiful creature took to the skies, Hermione's eyes now on the ground. Following her gaze, Harry gasped in awe when he saw what was now lying at the feet of his betrothed;_

_A beautiful, silver-edged Black Unicorn feather;_

_'Looks like he wanted my mate to have a gift as well,' Harry told her, before he scooped up the feather and subtly placed it in Hermione's pocket._

Chapter 21: A Stormy End

After receiving their surprisingly honorary gifts from the black unicorn, Harry and Hermione managed to secure their treasures with the Order, Sebastian explaining to his liege-lord that he would find some important use for the unicorn horn while Elora suggested replicating Hermione's feather into a material for a one-of-a-kind robe. Agreeing with their ideas, Harry then added, "Just make sure the original items are kept to their rare magnificence: these are noble gifts and I want to make sure that I can honour the bond I have with the unicorns for a while."

As if to distract Harry from what he was considering to be an exemplary gift, the Hogwarts school year seemed to rush towards its end: Harry and Hermione seemed to battle for the top spot in not only Gryffindor, but the whole of their year, all the while knowing that neither one minded losing to the other; their competition just made it fun.

As March and April passed them by, Harry also grew stronger in the combative sense: Excalibur was now like an extension of his own arm, the melee weapon and blade moving with Harry's moves and commands as if it were some kind of magically-synchronised dance, his strength and prowess shown as impressed praise and comments from the Order and from his small band of friends. Hermione, though not as equally trained in swordsmanship due to her receiving Nimueh later than when Harry had received Excalibur, mostly relied on the bond between her and her betrothed to teach her the finer points of melee combat. These informative mental communications usually resulted in Harry and Hermione locked in deadlock combat deep within the training room of the Lion's Wing, but not before both combatants proved their worth and strength to the other.

However, as Hermione learned after one particular lesson towards the middle of May, there was one thing that Harry would hold the top spot for that year and, quite possibly, more years to come: Advanced Charms.

It was after one of their Friday morning lessons that Professor Flitwick cleared his throat and asked, "Potter, would you and Miss Granger please remain behind for a moment?"

"Yes Professor," Harry nodded, watching as the other third-years left the room, Hermione remaining by his side as Professor Flitwick approached them, his face showing a mix of curiosity and a hidden amount of pride. Once the door had closed, Harry turned back to his professor as he asked, "Was there a problem with the task Professor?"

"No Potter," Flitwick replied, "I have been meaning to speak to you since the start of the new term, but, given your examinations are nearby as well as the fact that you seem to have grasped the full understanding of your lessons, I decided to wait; now though, I must ask. Is it true that, over the Christmas Period, you performed a serious amount of Advanced Charmcasting in an attempt to offer a present for Miss Granger?"

"Yes," Harry replied, looking with a glance of love and memory to his betrothed, "I was able to perform a complex amount of spells to give the right effect, but yes, I did manage it."

"May I see your work?"

Harry, looking to Hermione, shrugged ruefully and, stepping back, nodded to his mentor as he cautioned him, "You may want to step back Professor."

When Flitwick obliged, Harry lifted a hand to his heart, his eyes closed in deep concentration, his breathing as deep and steady as if he were trying to avoid a panic attack. While he was doing this, Hermione then watched as a silvery aura began to cover her betrothed's body, a mysterious mist settling around his feet, forming the same rosy circle that she had seen in the graveyard at Christmas.

"Do you see it now Miss Granger?" asked Professor Flitwick, "The White Mists?"

"Yes Professor," Hermione replied, "But what do they mean?"

"That," answered the charms master, his voice low so that he didn't disturb Harry's concentration, "Is the first line of passage within the Void: as I told you at the start of the term, I have only had one other student reach this level at this age and that was Lord Potter's late Mother, Lily."

"I remember," Hermione whispered, watching as the mist seemed to rise around Harry, the white, smoky tendrils seemingly gathering together like a wall of vines and rope, forming two very familiar images for Hermione, both of them seemingly being formed by the misty tendrils. Prongs and Ariel soon appeared before them, the circle that Harry was standing within now glowing as the stag and doe moved to Professor Flitwick and Hermione, Prongs nuzzling Hermione's cheek while Ariel licked at her palm.

"Feeling and corporeal conjuring as well," Flitwick gasped, "How does he do it so well? I daresay that Potter has become a powerful wizard in his own right over the past year."

"I have sir," Harry replied, now opening his eyes, keeping his hand on his heart as he watched the scene before him. "As you, and most of the school, know by now sir, I am a Holy Knight and life-mate to Hermione: to aid our power and magical reserves to become stronger, we performed a complex ritual known as the Ritual of Release and, since then, my magic has been as easy to access as if it were nothing more than a large book to which I turn the pages as I wish them."

"And yet you survive," Filius commented, "The Ritual of Release is dangerous, but you, a thirteen year old wizard, manage to cast and survive its power as well as feel the essences of power that come from the aftermath. Congratulations Potter, I can safely say that you will see an O against your name for this subject and this year's syllabus."

"Thank you sir," Harry replied, before he looked to Hermione as he added, "Are you finished Mione?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, watching as Harry lowered his hand and cancelled the illusions that he had summoned, the circle and the mists now fading back into the ether.

"Ah," Filius added, "So you can only hold the image and illusion as long as you form the bond between your magic and the Void?"

"Yes Professor," Harry nodded.

"Then you still have some way to go," Flitwick smiled, "But for a third year, you have certainly done an exceptional job Lord Potter: again, congratulations."

**_HPHG_**

May left Hogwarts behind and the end of year exams came round once again, Harry and Hermione working their socks off to do as well as they had promised one another; despite their private training, Harry mentally preparing himself for Sirius' trial and the occasional intervention from a certain Dead Man Walking, Harry and Hermione somehow managed to get through to the end of the exams without too much fuss, both of them seemingly repeating the events from two years prior as they moved down towards the Great Lake, Harry allowing Hermione to rest her head in his lap.

"The year is almost over," he told her, running a soft hand through her dark brown hair, "And our destiny grows closer; how do you feel about all this Kitten?"

"I'm fine Sparky," Hermione replied, watching as Harry's other hand seemed to rub itself against the soft, smooth flesh of her cheek, "I'm just worried about the reception that we'll get when you and I return in September after being in Camelot."

"Hmm," Harry replied, laying his own head against the trunk of a large rowan tree, "I'm a little on-edge about that myself."

"Why?" asked Hermione, now looking up to the seemingly sleeping form of her boyfriend, "What would the great Harry Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, have to worry about going to that other realm?"

"You have to remember," Harry replied, opening his eyes again and looking down to Hermione, a soft smile crossing his face as he spoke, "That I _am_ a Holy Knight, but also a Pure Knight and, if you recall what Godric told me, I'm the new leader of the Knights."

"So?"

"So," Harry continued, "What if, for argument's sake, the Camelot that we're to go to is like the ancient kingdom of legend? Emphasis on the _king_ part of kingdom: what if, because I'm the one with the full legacy of the Knights burning through my bloodline as well as a Twice-Blessed Knight, I have to take the throne of Camelot and become Lord of the Realm?"

"Then that's what you'll do," Hermione told him, "You already know that your power is greater than most knights and, as you said, you are a Twice-Blessed Knight on top of everything else, so, if this means that there _is_ a throne in Camelot and it means that _you_ become the recognised ruler of the realm, then I know that you'll do as good in Camelot as you have here in Hogwarts. Besides," she added, now sitting upright so she could brush her lips against his, "You'll have me at your side, my King; not to mention Neville, Luna and, when the time comes, Riddle, so what else would you have to worry about?"

"Maybe you're right Hermione," Harry laughed, now returning his girlfriend's kiss, before he moved her head onto his shoulder, both of them just enjoying the late afternoon sunlight and the reflection of the lake, "Not like it's the first time that's happened either."

**_HPHG_**

"Harry!"

Harry was torn from his sleep by Hermione's voice, the warm breeze of early summer blowing across the lake as he looked to her, his eyes on the area around them as he asked, "What happened?"

"We fell asleep," Hermione replied, Harry now aware of the hint of fear in his girlfriend's voice; moving to his feet, Harry walked down to the edge of the lake and wrapped his arms around Hermione, placing a light kiss on her cheek.

"No worries love, we'll just head back to the Wing, get a little late dinner and then…"

"Harry," Hermione gasped, before she pointed out across the lake and added, "Look up."

Following her shaking finger, Harry watched as Hermione's direction of fear seemed to point out the midnight-blue scene of the sky over their heads, the moon and stars shining with…

"The full moon?" he asked, looking to Hermione with a note of curiosity as he asked, "What is it love? You're shaking."

"Harry," Hermione told him, "There's…there's something I haven't told you; something I found out earlier in the year and its for that reason that we _have_ to get out of here."

"O…okay," Harry replied, moving away from the lake and slowly walking back up to Hogwarts, the lights and candles of the windows making Hogwarts look more enchanting than ever. As they reached the familiar slope that ran up from Hagrid's house, Harry looked to Hermione as he asked, "What is it Hermione? You're so scared."

"Harry," Hermione replied, before the Holy Knight gasped as he felt her mind link with his, her memories moving through him with two words that seemed to try and explain everything, "It's Remus."

_Flashback_

_"Harry!" called Lupin, Harry stepping forwards, the image ready in his mind: however, when the Boggart-Hand faced him, its body twisted and contorted until it formed not an image of a Dementor, but a very pale, blood-soaked, cut-streaked, wounded and practically dead figure that made Harry's heart stop dead._

_Hermione…_

_"You failed me Harry," Boggart-Hermione whispered, her voice as sweet and melodious as the real thing, "You killed me: you are no Knight; you're a demon!"_

_"No," gasped Harry, stepping back and actually dropping his wand, his eyes on the Boggart, the real Hermione moving to his side, her mind frantically trying to reach her betrothed through their link._

_'_Harry,_' she cried in his mind, _'It's all right love; I'm really here: you haven't failed; you haven't killed me.'

_"Hermione," whimpered Harry, the Boggart's influence on him stronger than ever, "I'm sorry."_

_"Here!" cried Lupin, suddenly skating across the floor, standing in front of Harry, Sebastian moving to Harry's side, taking his lord into his arms as they looked to see what Remus was frightened of._

_The full moon stared back at them, though to the others, save for Harry and Hermione, it looked more like a crystal ball._

_"Riddikulus," gasped Remus, his voice almost desperate as the full moon became a deflating balloon that shot through the class, before it moved back into the wardrobe, Sebastian still holding onto Harry, the Knight of Thunder stammering his apologies._

_"Professor," Sebastian exclaimed, "I'm getting my Lord Potter to his chambers where he can recover: please excuse us."_

_"Yes of course," Remus replied, a part of him now filled with sorrow as to the sight that Harry had envisioned; even the mere sight of the full moon didn't have that kind of effect on Lupin._

_As the class filed out, Neville, Dean and Seamus standing at Harry and Sebastian's sides, Hermione remained behind, her mind whirring with what she had seen; looking to their professor, Hermione asked, "Professor…are…are you…what I think you are?"_

_"Yes I am," Remus answered, watching the spot where Harry was retreating with Sebastian, "Please take care of him Miss Granger; I fear I may have failed to do that."_

_"I will…Remus," Hermione smiled, "And, when we're alone, please call me Hermione: anyone who cares for him as much as I do has my respect."_

_"Thank you Hermione," Remus nodded, watching as his student left the staffroom, his own mind still trying to get over the sight of Harry in so much pain, and so frightened of what he had seen._

_Flashback end_

As the memories faded away, Hermione ducked behind one of the stone obelisks that were placed at the end of the bridge, her eyes scanning the area around them as Harry asked, "Why…why would you make me…see that again?"

"The last words," Hermione replied, now turning to her betrothed, "Professor Lupin's Boggart; plus, he's been absent for three days out of every month while we've had Professor Snape in our lessons."

'She has a point,' Harry thought, recalling the mysterious circumstances where, at least once a month, Severus would take their Defence lessons and say that Remus was unable to teach his class at the moment; over time, Harry just assumed it was something he had to do himself, but now…

'Wait a minute,' he then thought, 'Amelia's letter: what had it said about Severus?'

He cast his own mind back to the letter in question, about his parents and the reason that Severus Snape owed the House of Potter a life-debt:

_As you heard, he does indeed owe a life-debt to one James Marcus Potter for saving his life from a werewolf in their younger years;_

'My Dad may have been a reckless and arrogant fool, but he wouldn't take on a fully-grown werewolf at such a young age…unless…'

"Hermione?" he asked, "Are you saying that…Remus…Professor Lupin…is a…werewolf?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, now taking Harry's hand as she led him across the bridge towards the Hogwarts courtyard, "I didn't want to worry you anymore about my safety; not after what happened the last time, but I did want to tell you. Remus, Professor Lupin, is our friend and I thought that if you knew then you may…"

"I'd understand why it is he holds me in such high regard," Harry finished, "I see; well, thank you Hermione for telling me; now, let's get back to the Common Room and we can talk more there."

"Oh," a new voice spoke up, Harry now stopping dead in his tracks as the voice continued, "I don't think so Potter."

'Not you,' thought Harry, 'Not now.'

Ron Weasley, seemingly back to his old self, aside from the Slytherin serpent on his crest, stepped from the darkness of the courtyard, his wand pointed at Harry as he looked to them.

"Weasley," Harry spoke up, "What are you doing out here?"

"You mean after you corrupted the Sorting Hat and made it put me in Slytherin?" asked Ron, his voice showing raw desperation as he addressed Harry. "After you allowed _that_ to take you away from your best friend, from your true family? Well, it doesn't really matter Potter; you see, when you die, and you will, I'll see to it that everything I am owed is given to me, but, until then, I think it best that we take care of the closing matters: namely your little Mudblood friend there."

"Weasley," Harry growled, sparks dancing at his fingertips, storm clouds now gathering overhead as he spoke, "Don't challenge me; you may not like what happens."

As the clouds shadowed the moon, Harry felt his own powers spiking, his eyes on Ron as he seemed to do what he did best: ignoring some pretty good advice. "No! You will not turn away from those who've done more for you than even that bitch ever could: Harry, it's not too late, we can still be friends; just leave _her_ behind. I don't mind that you're this Knight; I kind of like being the best friend of someone so powerful, so…"

"Wealthy?" asked Harry.

"There's that," Ron agreed, unaware of the deep hole that he was digging himself, "If you leave her and come back to your real family, then I'll even say that I'm sorry. Harry, can't you see that being around those less worthy than a pureblood has corrupted everything you hold dear? But it's all right, because Professor Dumbledore and my family can help you; I'm even willing to bet that Ginny will forgive you…in time."

"And now we get to the key," Harry finished, but, before he could make another move, a fourth voice cut their conversation off.

"Harry, Hermione, Mr Weasley, what are you doing out here? It's not safe."

'Remus,' thought Harry, reaching into the recesses of his magic, his will and strength now summoning Excalibur to his side as their Defence Professor appeared, his face showing a mix of fear and relief when he saw Harry standing there.

"Everyone's been looking for you," Remus explained, looking to the skies as he cleared his throat, "But you _need_ to come inside so that you're safe: Harry…"

"It's all right Remus," Harry nodded, "I know: my bright, brave and the-one-that-I'll-never-turn-my-back-on girlfriend known as Hermione Granger really _is_ the brightest witch of her age. Weasley," he turned back to Ron, who was still shaking, his wand in his hand, "We'll have to finish this later; for now, if you want to live to see tomorrow, I suggest you do the right thing…for once…and get your ass back to the Slytherin Dormitory; oh, and for the record, Ginny _does_ forgive me and she's like a sister to me. Hermione is my one, my only and my true girlfriend, my betrothed and, one day, I will have the honour and privilege of calling her my wife!"

"No!" Ron yelled, before Harry felt a strong spell colliding with his spine, clearly an effect of Accidental Magic; however, as he fell to the floor, a glimmer of silver caught his eye, Excalibur now at his side.

"Time's up," Harry gasped, trying to fight against the after-effects of the spell, "Rules change."

The first thing they heard was an agonisingly painful sound that, when Harry would later recall this moment, he would identify as bones and muscles breaking, followed by a long, mournful moan and a distorted voice that screamed at them, "RUN!"

"Remus," Harry whispered, holding tight to Excalibur, "How is this…how did he…"

"I read about a potion," Hermione explained, "It's called the Wolfsbane Potion; surely he wouldn't; Professor, did you…"

"RUN CUB!" Roared the rapidly transforming wolf, Harry now turning to Ron, a look of rage in his eyes.

"Are you happy?" he asked, his silver eye now glowing as he hissed, "You just _had_ to attack me, didn't you? Clearly, with the storm that I summoned covering the moon, my friend, my teacher was safe, but now: thanks for nothing Weasley. Dobby!"

The elf appeared on command, Harry gesturing to Ron as he demanded, "See _that_ back to either the Hospital Wing or the Slytherin Dormitory: I don't want to see it again!"

Ron was about to argue when Dobby took him away, Harry now rounding on the spot to face the threat of the werewolf that was now standing there before both he and Hermione. There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Remus the wolf must have stood some 7 or 8ft in height, his fur-lined body now a mass of muscle and feral appendages that threatened the safety and life of the beings before the dark beast; yet, as he stood there, Harry looked to the skies and an idea came back to him.

"It's the moon," he whispered, watching as the wolf raised one of its giant paws; however, before it got close, Harry gasped as a wave of ice rose from the ground, sealing the beast in place; without turning his head, Harry whispered, "Thank you Hermione."

Holding Excalibur to the skies, Harry poured all of his power into his summoning, the raw magic of the Holy Knights now coursing through both blade and bearer as Harry seemed to glow, his silvery eye shining brightly, Excalibur's blade emitting a wave of white magical light that shot straight into the sky, an ominous rumble of thunder sounding from overhead.

"Come on," Harry whispered, his voice showing plea, "It has to work; this time it has to work: please!"

His prayers…went answered; moments after the light had hit the skies, a large series of thunderclouds began to cross the skies, thunder, lightning, hail and rain all drowning Hogwarts and the area around them in what would later be described by Muggles as _the most violent storm in decades_.

As the moon was completely blocked out by the thunderstorm summoned by the Holy Knight, Harry lowered Excalibur, wiped his brow and looked to Remus, his face now twisted into a smile as he saw his theory was proven right.

Remus Lupin, now human, lay on the ground before them, covered only by a shabby black robe and a cloak, the ice that Hermione had sealed him in now being melted by the torrential storm.

"Come on," Harry explained, using both his wand and the power of Excalibur to levitate Remus inside, "Let's get him to Severus and then we can call it a night."

As they walked inside, Harry and Hermione didn't notice the two figures watching them from behind the stone obelisks, the outlines of the Storm and Ocean Lords hiding a smile on both faces as the two deities looked to one another.

"It's time brother," Storm Lord whispered, "He is ready!"

"They both are," Ocean Lord replied, "And their allies are prepared: I will go to the Castle and make the preparations: when will he be told?"

"When he is safe," Storm Lord answered, "And when he has his family back."

**_HPHG_**

The next morning, Harry awoke in a rather unusual position: he was slumped out on one of the couches within the Lion's Wing, his cloak and robe covering him, Excalibur resting against the arm of the chair, a low fire burning in the hearth as Harry allowed himself to be brought back to the land of the living.

As if to help, there was a sudden popping noise and, when Harry looked, he smiled as he saw a large mug of hot chocolate and a small vial of Pepper-Up Potion.

"Thanks Dobby," Harry whispered, taking the still hot drink before he downed the potion, his energy and body recovering after the excitement of the night before. After taking Remus to Severus, Harry had been instructed to allow the storm to pass over, the Potions Master explaining that the magic he had used had been stronger than most and Harry needed his rest. Taking the advice, Harry had come back to the Wing with Hermione, been overlooked by Sebastian and the Order, sent a word of notice and information to Amelia and then…well, he must have fallen asleep in the living room.

'Weasley,' Harry thought, one event from the night before coming back to him as clear as day, 'If you hadn't been so stupid, then Remus would have been safe before anything had happened: I'm through taking your shit!'

Dressing in his robe and cloak, Harry gathered Excalibur as well as the Order and made his way down to the Great Hall, his eyes catching sight of Severus and Remus moving from the dungeons, the werewolf looking proud to see that Harry was all right.

"I'm sorry," Harry replied, "I couldn't leave you in pain."

"You did the right thing Harry," Severus remarked, his voice nothing like the teacher he had been, "But I must ask: how did you know that it was the presence of the moon that brought the wolf out?"

"Professor Lupin's Boggart was the full moon," Harry explained, "And the very presence of the moon at that time seemed to unnerve him; or that's what my amazing girlfriend Hermione seemed to recognise."

"She really is the brightest witch of her age," Remus commented dryly, "Where is she?"

"Probably back in the Wing," Harry answered, before Sebastian filled in the blanks.

"Last I saw of her Harry, she was moving down here to the Great Hall, but she will be fine," he moved to the door, Harry and his small entourage following as the Holy Knight of Thunder found that Sebastian's words proved true: Hermione was indeed safe, protected on both sides by the familiar forms of Dean, Seamus, Neville and Luna. Harry, however, shook his head as he looked from the Gryffindor Table to the Slytherins, Excalibur shining brightly as if it sensed the magical spike within its master.

Moving towards the Slytherins, Harry felt a modicum of confusion fill his body as Draco Malfoy looked in his direction, his face paling when he saw the Holy Knight advancing on the Slytherins. Ron Weasley, however, seemed to have returned to normal as he was indulging himself in the breakfast feast, his eyes not even noticing Harry's arrival.

Keeping close to the Slytherin Head, Harry whispered, "I _really_ wanted to avoid this, but his actions left me no other choice."

"Harry my boy," Dumbledore spoke up, Harry's anger only growing even fiercer as he heard the title he _really_ hated from the old man, "How are you? I assume this freak weather is your doing?"

"That's not the only freak thing about him," Ron growled, before he felt a sharp, metallic edge against his throat, an icy, commanding voice addressing him.

"Stand up!"

Ron finally did look up and what he saw made even his idiot-minded, cloth-for-brains attitude take notice: Harry's emerald eye was now shining with the full fury of the storm, his silver eye seemingly holding a black core that made it look like a human eye; his hair seemed to billow around his head and, as many people looked in their direction, there was a sharp crackling sound as bolts of white lightning danced over Excalibur's blade. You'd be a grade O idiot and a Rank Number One asshole to think you could challenge this kind of power.

Cue Ronald Weasley, "What's your malfunction? Did the thick-headed Mudblood get bitten by the werewolf last night?"

"Werewolf?"

The cry echoed around most of the school, Harry's teeth now grinding together as he seemed to calm the whole school with nothing more than a bolt of lightning that struck the Slytherins.

"I said stand up," Harry commanded, "You wanted to make a spectacle of yourself, well; here's your chance. I've put up with your asshole comments and no-brained antagonising all year and I won't take it any more. If you hadn't struck me down last night, I could have helped with the situation, but no, as usual, you use your mouth before you use your brain. Now, Weasley, as Vassal Lord to House Weasley, I, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder challenge you to the right of combat by swords: Sebastian, would you be the official?"

"Of course my Lord," Sebastian replied, watching as Harry swept Excalibur in a wide circle, the floor now clearing of tables, food and chairs, the students being left to stand around as Harry faced Ron again.

Ron, staring in stunned silence at the spot where his meal had once been, turned and asked, "And why should I accept your battle _Lord_ Potter? I'm not a member of your Vassal House; you have no power over me."

"Maybe not," Harry remarked, "But I _do_ have power over your House and, if you do not stand up and face me, you will consider yourself Ron No-Name from here on out!"

"You wouldn't dare," Ron laughed, but stopped when, for the second time that morning, he felt the cold, empowering steel of Excalibur against his throat, "You're no killer," Ron laughed, "You won't hurt me."

"Want to bet on that?" asked Harry, the students of Hogwarts now sharing a gasp of awe and fear as a ring of pure lightning seemed to divide the students from the two combatants. "Do you want to bet, Ronald No-Name that I won't harm the one who tried to get my familiar executed, kidnap and rape my betrothed, delusion himself to the point where he thought I would leave her whom I love and come back to the so-called right side? Do you want to bet I wouldn't harm that certain someone? I think it close to a thousand to one odds that you're right: now, stand up or I _will _strike you down!"

For once in his life, Ron Weasley listened; standing from the only seat left in the room, the red-haired reject turned and faced Harry, Sebastian doing Harry a favour as he gave Ron the very sword that Harry had given him, before he stepped aside and nodded to Harry, who lifted Excalibur before his face, his eyes shining from either side of the sword as he gave the customary, honourable salute.

"No spells," Sebastian explained, "No potions; just a one-on-one swordsman's duel: Lord Potter, as the declared party, is this a battle of submission or a duel to the death?"

"Submission," Harry explained, "With each duellist getting one chance for a respite: the respite shall be five minutes and the duel shall end with the words I Yield. As per the rules of such a duel, stakes are required: should I, Lord Harry James Potter, be the victor then you, Ronald Weasley, shall become a slave to House Potter for all of your actions against the betrothed to Lord Potter."

"And if I win," Ron growled, a cold smile on his face as he foolishly added, "Which I will; you, Potter, will surrender everything you own and all your fortunes to me and Hermione shall become _my_ slave."

'_Sparky?_' Hermione sent to Harry, the Holy Knight of Thunder remaining stone-faced while his thoughts were awake.

'_Don't worry yourself Kitten,_' he told her, '_Ron's more likely to just start swinging for the fences; he hasn't even saluted; be careful: he'll cheat._'

"Agreed!" Harry announced, a golden light now enveloping both duellists, Harry know holding his sword high in the stance known as the guard of the Hawk, while Ron, as soon as Sebastian announced the start, did exactly what Harry had thought; started swinging madly. With swiftness and dexterity, Harry parried, deflected and side-stepped the young Slytherin with the grace and style of a master, all the while not laying a single blow on him.

"Fight back!" Ron yelled, "Fight back you coward and prove you are who you continue to preach you are!"

"I don't need to fight back," Harry replied, now twirling on the spot and deflecting Ron's next blow with the side of Excalibur, "You have no honour left Ron: could you never see it? Fred, George and Ginny are on my side; your own Father didn't come to defend you when I left you hanging with your new friend Malfoy and I have managed to leap over all of your obstacles that I may as well be a champion stallion at the Kentucky Bloody Derby."

Ron came in again, but this time, as Harry deflected his blow, he sliced forwards with Excalibur, his sword's edge sliding against the blade of Ron's sword like it was being sharpened by a blacksmith, the Holy Sword's own edge now inches from Ron's neck as Harry flicked his wrist once, Ron's blade flying from his hand while Harry, stepping back as to avoid any kind of sneak attack, held Excalibur high over his head, his right hand held outwards as he faced his opponent.

"You're more than welcome to call for a respite," Harry explained, "But now that you are disarmed, you don't really expect to have a chance against the Holy Sword Exca-"

"_STUPEFY!_"

The stunning spell, as Harry had read about, came so quickly that only the magical defences of Excalibur's blade stopped Harry from receiving the full fury of the spell; at the same time, there was a crack of thunder and, when the flash of red light finally dissipated, Ron was cowering on the floor, the full back area of his robe now bearing the Crest of the Holy Knights.

"You cheated," Harry told him, approaching Ron's cowering form, "And you paid the price, but now the question is…who fired the spell for you? My guess," he looked up and faced the Gryffindors, all of whom were now parted like the proverbial Red Sea, revealing one Head Boy.

"Percy Weasley," Harry sighed, "You who _are_ a member of my Vassal House: you show dishonour and disgrace your Lord's decrees and for what? Money? Power? Prestige? Tell me Percival, because I'm confused: just what do you get out of trying to attack me and thus forfeiting your brother's freedom?"

Percy Weasley fell to the floor, his eyes wide and terrified as he stared at his brother…and his brother's new Master;

His Mother wasn't going to like this one…

**Chapter 21 and the end of the Stormy Waters segment of the newly named Chronicles of Camelot: so, Ron has been given his just desserts and, for once, he can't stomach them; and Percy has caused a pretty bad boo-boo that will have Hurricane Molly on Harry's back pretty soon, but, what will the end result be?**

**Also, now that Remus is outed as a wolf, what will become of the Defence Position and Harry's destiny as Holy Knight?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: The first chapter of pt 2 of the Chronicles of Camelot – named Swords of Destiny – in which Harry meets his family once again and deals with some unfinished business; plus, Sirius' trial looms closer and Harry has a dream-world visit…from the Lords of Nature;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Also, in regards to Harry's new friend – the dragon – if anyone has ideas for a name, I'd love to hear them; only thing is: it will be a FEMALE dragon;**

**SECOND NOTE: You've all been very helpful and inspirational for this story, so thank you; the mysteries of the Knights and Lords of Nature will be revealed VERY soon;**


	22. The Lords of Nature

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 21:**

**Phoenix Burst: His power has been growing since he performed the Ritual of Release, which not only gave him power, but sort of compensated for all the power he'd lost as a child and in his first two years;**

**Penny is Wise: That is true, but Harry wouldn't have accepted if he hadn't had the training that he did;**

**Aldoraspritelette: a good suggestion, but I should point out that it will be Harry's dragon, but again, a good suggestion;**

**Loki Palmer: A very amusing comment and a truthful comparison with Percy;**

**DarkHeart81: Well whatever the reason for that, I apologise and hope you enjoy this chapter;**

**MariusDarkwolf: Thanks Marius, the fun's not over yet;**

**StormyFireDragon: Okay Storm, keep off the caffeine mate and thanks for the kind words, but I have plans for Percy and, believe me, he won't like them;**

**Aealket: Unfortunately not, but that doesn't mean the fun's over concerning the Dead Man Walking; who says Dumbledore's going to stay quiet?**

**Athenakitty: I did change the name of the story, but the arc in which it starts is still known as Stormy Waters; as I said, this will now be a sort of Chronicles adventure;**

**Harryhermionealways: Moony and Padfoot will be going to Camelot with the HKs and the idea for Harry using his power like that was inspired by the werewolf effect in Van Helsing;**

Chapter 22: The Lords of Nature

As the end of term rolled into Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione and the Order all began to finally enjoy some down time: after the magic of the family and the power of the Holy Knights had marked Ron as slave to House Potter, it had seemed like the two were waking from some year-long dream. Despite still being a member of Slytherin, Harry ensured that Ron was safe so that he couldn't coerce his snakes into helping him end his servitude. Thankfully, right from the first day, Severus was also there, making sure that Weasley's endless appetite kept him strong and able to serve his new liege-lord while Harry, after learning that Ron had attempted to wind up some seventh year Slytherins, which would have resulted in several powerful curses being launched at the Dead Man Walking, had used the power of Excalibur and his mantle as Ron's Master – a part of him loving it when he said that – to ensure that the brain-dead upstart couldn't attempt to lose his life or his servitude.

Whenever it was attempted, the power of Excalibur would create a shield around Ron so that there was no way for anything serious to happen and, while Harry did receive a Howler from Molly the Banshee two days after enslaving Ron, he sent one back with the following words:

_I WARNED YOU WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN YOU AND YOUR BRAIN DEAD SONS CROSSED ME YOU PATHETIC BITCH: CHALLENGE ME AGAIN AND YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MAGIC: AND THAT'S NOT A THREAT, IT'S A PROMISE!_

Now, on the eve of their departure from Hogwarts, Harry and Hermione had called their friends and allies to the Lion's Wing, the calmness of the Holy Knight of Thunder being tested by the constant warning shots from Excalibur telling him that Weasley was doing what he did best – not listening.

Seated in the Common Room, the two Holy Knight couples together, Harry lay his head on his girlfriend's shoulder before he spoke up, "It's almost time; according to Seba, I'll be going to the gateway between this realm and Camelot some time over the summer; when that happens, I'll call you, but, in the mean time, I want you two to enjoy yourselves, okay?"

"Sure Harry," Neville replied, Harry then noticing his blood-brother was juggling a stray fireball over his fingers, Luna nestled comfortably in his lap as she watched the flames dreamily. Without looking in his direction, Neville continued, "Are you spending your spare time at the Hollow?"

"Yes," Harry answered, "Sirius' trial is set for the day of my fourteenth birthday, or at least that's the current plan: I've got Amelia trying to move it up in case my journey has to happen on the day of my birthday; after all, it would mark one year since I was told that I was the Holy Knight that I have become and it would also mark the one year anniversary of the day that I gained my freedom."

"Amelia won't let you down Harry," Hermione assured him, her soft hand moving through his hair while her other hand was linked with his, "If she can find a way to push the trial ahead, then she will: her loyalty to you and the House has been the same even _before_ you became the Holy Knight of Thunder."

"Speaking of that," Luna then added, "Has Sebastian said when my Knighthood will be?"

"He says," Harry answered, smiling sadly as he knew that Luna wanted to be one of their ranks so that she was on even terms with her soulmate, "That despite your bond and soul link with Neville, you'll still need to be Knighted like Neville was when he became my blood-brother. With that in mind, I think that it would be best to perform the knighthood ceremony when we enter the realm of Camelot so that the four of us can keep our strengths together. I hope you don't mind that Luna?"

"I don't mind," Luna replied, now placing her hand on her heart as she continued, "I know that it's not an official thing, but I sometimes feel Neville's power burning away inside me, no pun intended; I know that soon I too will bear that power and I can wait a little while longer for that day Harry; I know you have other things on your mind at the moment."

Nodding his head in thanks to his friend, Harry stared into the flames of the Common Room fireplace, his eyes almost lazily drooping as he spoke up, "I'll do the best that I can for all of us: I have this feeling," he now placed his own hand on his heart as he continued, "That over the next year, the Holy Knights will gather once again and the circle will be complete. When Hermione and I met the spirits of Godric and Emrys, they told us that Tom would return within the space of one year, but I think they actually meant that in the sense of one year after I enter Camelot. As for the two remaining Knights, I have _no_ idea who they are or whether they're Pure Knights or Anointed Ones; all I can feel is that they're out there and, when all seven of us are gathered, then the real battle can begin and we can stand tall and proud as the force of goodness that we once were."

"Hear, hear," Hermione smiled, placing a gentle kiss on her betrothed's forehead, the four of them just enjoying the moment as their last day in Hogwarts came to a close…

**_HPHG_**

When the four friends made their way onto the train the next morning, Harry taking the window so that he could keep his emotions in check with the weather outside – now a clear, yet cold summer sky – their momentary peace was interrupted by the door opening; turning to their guests, Harry was slightly surprised when Ginny poked her head in, a soft smile on her face.

"Hi Ginny," Harry mumbled, his eyes filled with light as he looked to his friend and vassal, "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay," Ginny explained, now sidling in next to Neville and Luna, "We haven't really had a chance to talk all year and I was getting worried."

"You have nothing to be worried about," Harry told her, "You, Fred, George and your Father are still in my good books; which reminds me, when you see Charlie, tell him thanks for the dragon egg."

"I will," Ginny nodded, now looking to Hermione and Luna with the same friendly environment as she asked, "Are you four spending the summer together?"

"Not all of it," Harry replied, now looking to Ginny with a note of curiosity as he asked, "Why? Is there something that I can do for you?"

"No," Ginny answered, "I…well, I'm worried."

"About?" asked Hermione, now sharing a glance with her betrothed.

"Mum," Ginny explained, "She'll be on a warpath now that you've taken Ron as the House Slave; I know that we'll be under your protections, Harry, but I'm worried about what she may do…especially to me."

"Why you?" asked Harry, his eyes now holding a look of hidden rage as he sat upright, "Why would you be the main focus for Molly's anger?"

"Because she's sick," Ginny answered, "Harry, I've sent letters, had Father tell her, Fred tell her, George tell her; Merlin, even Bill and Charlie have said it to her, but she doesn't listen. She's convinced that what you and Hermione have is nothing more than a fluke and that she'll do anything to make sure that a, and these are her words…"

"Go on," Harry gestured for her to continue, "Say what she said; I won't be mad."

"She said," Ginny seemed close to tears as she spoke out, "That she would do anything to make sure that a proper Pureblood Heir was the wife to you and that the pathetic Mudblood who filled your head with those delusions and turned you away from the guidance of Professor Dumbledore would be in Azkaban for crimes against the Pure."

The clear Scottish sky suddenly turned pretty dark, Hermione quickly moving her hand into Harry's as the Holy Knight of Thunder gave his response, "Now Harry," Hermione told him, "You said that you wouldn't get angry."

"Once again," Harry laughed, the darkness outside fading away, revealing the bright skies once again, "You are right Hermione: Ginny, don't you worry about Molly; I'll deal with her myself. I had hoped that Ron being shown some mercy and leniency in his punishments for everything he'd done to Hermione and I would show her that it was foolish to challenge me, but it seems that I need to take this further."

"What will you do?" asked Ginny.

"Well," Harry replied, "I'll have to do what I had hoped I wouldn't; I'll have to challenge Molly directly…as the Holy Knight and Founder's Heir that I am and this time, I'll make sure that she learns her lesson, because I am getting sick of the attempted stabbings in the back from her and her goat-faced private lover."

"Merlin Harry," Neville laughed, the girls all cringing in agreement, "There's a limit bro; that was one image that I _didn't_ need."

"Same here," laughed Ginny, Hermione and Luna, Harry muttering his apologies as he prepared himself for the worst…

**_HPHG_**

When the Hogwarts Express reached Platform nine-and-three-quarters, Harry led his small entourage off the train, Excalibur now in his hand, his eyes filled with strength and a rage that appeared to be holding itself in, almost as if Harry were afraid that, if he let go, then the so-called Oncoming Storm, the Hurricane that was his anger would be one that couldn't be pulled back in. Neville and Luna said their goodbyes and made their way back to their home, leaving Harry to move through the barrier and back into the Muggle world, where it wasn't long before what he had expected came to pass. Molly, Fred, George, Arthur, Percy and Ron were all waiting there, one half of the six waiting Weasleys stood aside while the others had looks on their faces like Christmas had come early.

"Ah," Harry smiled, keeping his blade in hand as he hoped he wouldn't have to use it, "Weasleys; I was hoping that we'd see one another: Arthur, Fred, George; you three can go; this doesn't concern you."

"Excuse me?" asked Molly, Harry shaking his head as he should have guessed she wanted to cause a scene; silently casting a few Notice-Me-Not charms around them, Harry watched as Molly continued, "But who do you think you are to order my family around like that?"

"Who do I _think_ I am?" asked Harry, putting emphasis on the one word that didn't mean much anymore, "I don't know Molly; I don't know who I _think_ I am, but I _know_ who I am: I am a Twice-Blessed Knight of the Holy Elemental Order, Heir of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw _and_ Helga Hufflepuff; owner of the Holy Sword Excalibur and, oh yes, _Master_ to your youngest son. Why?" he asked, a note of mocking in his voice as he looked to the now stunned Weasleys, "Who do _you _think I am?"

"I think that you are a…"

Whatever Molly was about to say didn't come out; instead, just as Harry had stepped forwards, there was a loud pop and the Holy Knight of Thunder smiled as he saw Amelia Bones arrive on the scene, Tonks and a large dark-skinned Auror that he recognised from before all arrive, the Vassal to Lord Potter now looking to Harry in disappointment.

"Amelia," Harry remarked, heaving a sigh as he asked, "Let me guess: you're here to take me to a cell pending investigations as to why my magical signature was traced in the Muggle world on such a large scale, yes?"

"That is correct Lord Potter," Amelia replied, then noticing the blade in Harry's hand as she added, "However, given your titles and status in the wizarding world, I am asking that you give a full explanation as to your actions as well as a meeting right now in my office." Turning away from Harry, Amelia caught sight of Molly Weasley looking like she'd just been awarded an Order of Merlin: First Class and her face seemed to brighten, "Oh," Amelia continued, "And you can come as well Molly: as for the rest of the Weasleys, Shack, I want them under House arrest as witnesses and Tonks, see to it that Lady Granger is escorted home: this shouldn't take long."

"Yes boss," the two Aurors chorused, before Harry took hold of Amelia's hand and felt the familiar nauseating emotions and experience of Apparition, he, Amelia and Molly all being dropped off in a rather plush office, the Lady Weasley looking even more vindictive with each passing moment.

"Madam Bones," Molly spoke up, "I want this…_boy_ under arrest for use of magic against pureblood heirs and, unless he breaks his betrothal with the Mudblood bitch, he is to be given the Kiss for endangering the lives of Hogwarts students and…"

"Oh shut up Molly," Harry laughed, now looking around as he added, "Amelia; I don't mean to question your Apparition skills, but this doesn't look like the Ministry."

Molly's face paled and her mocking, proud, confident attitude fell like the Berlin Wall as Amelia replied, "That's because it isn't my Lord Potter; I thank you for the tip off."

"My pleasure," Harry replied, his mind going back to the plan;

_Flashback_

_"Well," Harry replied, "I'll have to do what I had hoped I wouldn't; I'll have to challenge Molly directly…as the Holy Knight and Founder's Heir that I am and this time, I'll make sure that she learns her lesson, because I am getting sick of the attempted stabbings in the back from her and her goat-faced private lover."_

_"Merlin Harry," Neville laughed, the girls all cringing in agreement, "There's a limit bro; that was one image that I didn't need."_

_"Same here," laughed Ginny, Hermione and Luna, Harry muttering his apologies as he prepared himself for the worst. "But what can you do against her? She has Dumbledore on her side and he's the Head of the Wizengamot."_

_"Ginny," Hermione explained, "Harry's power, authority and reason go above the Chief Warlock; as a Holy Knight alone, he has the authority of FIVE Lords, but given that his true mantle is that of a twice-blessed Knight, it basically gives him an authority level equal to half the Wizengamot, not to mention Amelia IS his Vassal."_

_"Amelia?" asked Ginny, "Bones? Wasn't she at your party last year?"_

_"She was," Harry grinned, before he held up a hand and, lifting his voice, added, "Excuse me: Dobby!"_

_When Dobby appeared, Harry wrote a quick letter and, handing it to the elf, instructed, "Give this to Amelia and see to it that she brings the best that she can manage."_

_"Yes Harry," Dobby replied, vanishing in a split second, leaving Harry to look to Ginny with a cold, calculating sneer that, for a second, had Hermione finally understanding just how close her betrothed had come to being a Slytherin._

_"Now," the Holy Knight advised, "Sit back and enjoy the show."_

_End Flashback_

Returning to the now, Harry smiled again, Excalibur in his hand as he explained, "Amelia, Lady Weasley, is the Vassal to House Potter, not to mention a close personal friend and trusted ally to the Holy Knights, of which _I_, as I will remind you, am a Twice-Blessed Knight, a being with more power in his body than half the student body of Hogwarts combined. So, now that we're alone, we can get down to business: Madam Bones," he looked to Amelia as he said this, "Do you have the letter?"

"I do," Amelia replied, handing Harry the very note that he had sent her.

Taking it from her hand, Harry held it out to Molly, "Read it!"

Taking the letter, Molly's fears and pale face seemed to give Lucius Malfoy's hair colour a run for its money as she read aloud, "Dear Amelia; I write this note in urgency and hope you can understand my reasoning. An anonymous source tells me that one Molly Weasley nee Prewitt, Lady of House Weasley, threatens the betrothal of a Twice-Blessed Knight and pureblood heir; given the allowance made by yourself to me last summer, I write this letter in warning that there will be a breach and need you at King's Cross Station straight away; please hurry, Lord Harry James Potter HKT."

"Holy Knight of Thunder," Harry translated, "And what do you know Molly? Here is Amelia and, as I said, I do apologise for breaching your trust in allowing me to have the Trace removed last summer."

"It is perfectly understandable Lord Potter," Amelia explained, before she looked to Molly as she added, "Molly Weasley, as Vassal to Lord Potter and head of the DMLE, I am arresting you with the charges of breaking a pureblood betrothal, betrayal of your familial loyalty to your Lord and attempted control of the future of a Twice-Blessed Knight. You shall be held in Azkaban until your trial, which you, Lord Potter, will need to attend and, at that time, your final fate will be in the hands of the Holy Knights."

"B-B-But," Molly stammered, now looking to Harry, "H-h-h-how d-did you know?"

"Unlike you," Harry explained, "Ickle Ronniekins and Bighead Boy Percy, the rest of the Weasley Family know where their loyalties lie: Amelia," he looked to his Vassal as he asked, "What is my payment for the act of betrayal in your trust?"

Amelia, looking to Molly with an air of disdain and loathing, gave a smile as she asked, "Come now my Lord: what kind of Vassal punishes their Lord when their Lord has the authority to overrule even the Minister of Magic?"

**_HPHG_**

When Dobby returned Harry to Albion House, the Holy Knight wasn't surprised when he was tackled by a familiar brown-haired missile, before he heard Dan's voice, "I think Harry's back."

'_You big idiot Sparky,_' Hermione chided him, '_What if it hadn't worked?_'

'_I knew it would,_' Harry explained, '_As I knew that Amelia's trust in me was only outweighed by the respect she holds for her position and my place as a Twice-Blessed Knight: I didn't mean to scare you Kitten._'

He released Hermione and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, before looking over her shoulder, his face now twisting into as much of an apologetic smile as he could when he saw Dan, Emma and Sirius all watching them, the Order waiting in the lounge of the House. Emma looked relieved to see that her son-in-all-but-blood was alright; Sirius looked as if Harry had just performed a real Marauder-worthy prank and Dan…Dan looked slightly annoyed, but soon cheered up when he saw Harry was okay.

"Tonks?" asked Harry.

"Back at the Ministry," Sirius explained, "Though needless to say that, when she saw me, she…" he gave a snigger and Harry had a feeling that it was something that Sirius wasn't going to let her live down, "She…fainted."

"Okay," Harry laughed, now joining his extended family back in the lounge, "But all jokes aside, I hope that this gives us the opportunity we need: the chance to not only sever my ties with Molly and her eccentric, big-headed ways, but also to make sure that we can have our family together forever."

"So," Hermione asked, "What did you do to her?"

"Amelia arrested her for threatening our betrothal and betraying her family's oath of loyalty to House Potter," Harry explained calmly, "Though when I asked her what my repercussions would be, she just smiled and asked me what kind of Vassal punishes their Lord: any idea why she'd do that Sirius?"

"Maybe because," Sirius suggested, "She knew that you had replaced the wand that the Trace had been removed from last summer: what once was a holly and phoenix feather wand is now a White Mountain Birchwood and black unicorn feather wand that was bound to a drop of your blood and the power of Excalibur; be serious Harry…"

"I thought that was your job," Harry laughed, earning a nudge to the arm from Hermione while Sirius just rolled his eyes: how many times was he going to have to put up with these jokes?

"All I'm saying," He continued, "Is that when you hold a wand that's bound to the Holy Sword, even Amelia; Merlin, even the Minister wouldn't dare come after you because all they'd find is the power of your weapon; with you, it's a case of 'Trace? What Trace?' See what I'm saying?"

"Strangely I do," Harry chuckled, his eyes now on his wand while his other hand held Excalibur, both items radiating with strength and true magic; it was like the two completed one another.

'Almost like Hermione and I,' Harry thought, looking around the room where he saw each member of the Order understanding what Sirius was saying as well as their Lord.

Directing his words at Sebastian, Harry asked, "So, with my journey to Camelot on the horizon, what else is there for me to do?"

"Other than keeping your magic at full strength," Sebastian explained, "Nothing much: though I do suggest to you, Harry that we escort you to the trial of Mrs Weasley in case there are any troubles."

"And of course," Sirius added, "Padfoot will be there as well."

"Is that safe?" asked Dan, now putting his own two cents into the conversation, "Won't the Ministry have spells in effect that negate Animagi?"

"If they do," Sirius explained, "Then they should have had them around Azkaban as well: sometimes it's almost too easy to get in under the Minister's nose that it's almost pathetic."

'_Maybe it's time for someone with more class and attention to detail to replace the Minister,_' Hermione suggested, '_Having the head of the DMLE as your Vassal is good enough, but imagine having the Minister?_'

'_Maybe,_' Harry countered, '_But if I said that to Amelia, it would have to be a case of friendly relationships and not some kind of favoritism._'

'_I'm sure she'd say the same thing,_' Hermione agreed, now cuddling into Harry's side as they noticed the other members of their little gathering watching them.

"Sorry," Harry remarked, "Just some private thoughts."

**_HPHG_**

That night, while all of Albion House was sound asleep, Harry and Hermione curled up in each others arms, the Holy Knight of Thunder suddenly frowned in his sleep, his brow creasing in discomfort, a mysterious silver light now shining from within Excalibur's blade, its energy moving across the room and into the mind of the Holy Knight, a spectral, almost mystical voice speaking to him.

'_Wake up Lord of Thunder, your time has come…_'

**_HPHG_**

Harry's eyes snapped open, his eyes scanning the room where he was lying on the floor; something about it seemed familiar and, as he looked around, the seemingly never-ending emptiness of the area almost lighting up with a shade of silver that was like raw lightning, Harry recognised the area for what it was.

He was somehow within the subconscious area where he and Hermione had met with Godric and Emrys, the mystical voice now echoing all around him as it addressed him once again. '_Nice to see you are awake Thunder Knight; we have waited a long time for your power to be at the level where we can meet with you._'

"Who are you?" asked Harry, his hand flexing as if he wished he had Excalibur in his hand; however, as he flexed his hand again, Harry surprised himself when said sword materialised into being, its golden hilt now enveloped by his right hand, its vibrant blade reflecting his eyes and the dull greyness around him.

'_We are the ones who gave the powers of the Holy Knights to the world of men,_' the voice explained, '_We are the Lords of Nature and we have drawn you into your mind to speak with you._'

"The Lords?" asked Harry, looking around once more before he dropped to one knee, Excalibur now flat in his palms as he continued, "I am honoured to hear from you and I thank you for allowing me to feel this power. Please, my Lords, tell me what it is I can do to help."

The air seemed to shimmer around Harry, his body suddenly filling with warmth as he looked up, seeing the cloaked visages of the Storm and Ocean Lords before him, both of them looking at him with fondness.

"I like this one brother," the Ocean Lord laughed, "He knows his honour and has true virtue in his soul: welcome Harry Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, to our domain: I am the Lord of the Ocean Element, but, for naming purposes, you can call me what your ancestors once called me: Poseidon."

"And I," added Storm Lord, "You may address as Zeus: we have been watching you from afar Knight Potter and now we know that what you were told once before is the truth: that you are capable of being the new leader of the Holy Knights. Not only are you a Holy Knight, but a Pure Knight and a Twice-Blessed Knight to boot; truly, you are the one to bear the moniker of Arch-Knight and commander of the Elemental Order. Now, tell me: how do you find the power of the storms?"

"I have used them to attack and defend those who are near and dear to me Lord Zeus," Harry explained, his head lowered in respect to the Lords of Nature, "But I have also managed to summon the power from the air itself; I find it a dangerous, but noble weapon that, with the right training, can be tamed along with the other elements."

"A noble response," Zeus smiled, "And it's just Zeus, Knight Potter, though I suspect you prefer to be known as Harry; very well, now that your power has reached the level of Arch-Knight, it is indeed time for you to venture to the realm of your ancestors, the realm of Camelot. There, you will meet with us in the flesh and, as the leader of the Knights, you will take the throne of Camelot and become the Lord of the Elements themselves. It is for this reason that we continued to awaken the lineage and power of the Holy Knights within each of your friends and your predecessors and now, with you, Harry James Potter, we have a hope for that lineage to be laid to rest."

"I understand," Harry replied, "But what is my purpose? What is the reason for these gifts that I and my friends have been given?"

"In your case," answered Poseidon, "Nothing, but in the case of your friends, the Anointed Ones, they were given these powers so that you could stand together; the Elemental Order restoring the balance of power between light and darkness, to ensure that a certain lesson is learned: perhaps you know of it. It goes something along the lines of: there is no good or evil…"

"…There is only power and those too weak to seek it," Harry nodded, "I've heard it before and now I think I understand it for what it is. Very well, this is a destiny that I have accepted since I first wielded Excalibur and now, with my powers where they are, I shall make my way to Camelot and become your Lord."

"Then we leave you for now Harry Potter," Zeus explained, "With only our advice that you keep your allies as close as you can, for apart, you are vulnerable, but together, you are invincible; also, be on your guard, for when you were knighted one year ago, my brothers and I found something that we did not see before."

"What is it?" asked Harry, watching as the light of wakefulness began to take hold of him once again, the last thing he heard being the words of the Lord of Storm;

'_There…is…another…Pure…Knight!_'

"What?" asked Harry, but before he could question further, his mind and body became part of the land of the living, the mystery of the Lords' last words keeping place in his mind as the light of morning welcomed him back to wakefulness.

At his side, Hermione turned over in her sleep, before she opened one eye and, seeing Harry sat bolt upright, his face a stern expression of disbelief and wonder, the Holy Knight of Ocean asked, "What…is it Sparky?"

Looking to her, Harry smiled before he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and, keeping his calmness around her, told her, "Get dressed; we need to speak to Sebastian: I've learned a few home truths that you're not going to believe."

**Chapter 22, the first chapter of the Swords of Destiny arc, and Harry has met the Lords and learned of the ****_other_**** that they sensed before, but will Seba know anything and will Harry learn of them before he ventures to Camelot?**

**Plus, can Sirius be set free for good and will Harry finally win one over against Banshee Weasley?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Molly and Sirius face the Wizengamot and the Twice-Blessed Knight in their trials and Harry makes a declaration that will shake the foundations of the wizarding world; plus, on his fourteenth birthday, Harry knights Luna and makes his way to the gateway to Camelot, but there's a surprise waiting for him…in the form of the OTHER Pure Knight…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Also, in regards to Harry's new friend – the dragon – if anyone has ideas for a name, I'd love to hear them; only thing is: it will be a FEMALE dragon;**


	23. Show Me the Light

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 22:**

**Draehydraxis: That was what I was hoping for when I came up with the idea for the story; looking back, I'm really glad I accepted the challenge;**

**Harryhermionealways: Just like a leopard can't change its spots, do you honestly expect the DMW to learn his lesson?**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: A noble argument Sir Andrew, and one that is only too true; thankfully, the unworthy cannot grace the noble halls of the lands of Camelot; don't worry, such a…peasant as the Dead Man Walking will learn his lesson, I guarantee it;**

**Zamia: Its one scene that I'm looking forward to writing as well;**

**StormyFireDragon: You will not believe it in a million years;**

**Cateagle: All will be revealed about TR and the Lords very soon; and as for Ron's jealousy, it's only going to get worse;**

**MariusDarkwolf: It's not that I hate the lying, conniving banshee of a b**** but she is a definite pain anyway;**

'_There…is…another…Pure…Knight!_'

Chapter 23: Show Me the Light

"Are…are you sure of that my Lord?"

Harry, standing rather casually against the ornate fireplace of the lounge, looked over to Sebastian as he finished explaining everything he had seen and heard within the dream world, the eyes of the Order's Commander filled with shock as Harry waited for the response.

"According to the Lords," Harry repeated for him, "There is another Pure Knight; apparently, it's someone that they didn't see before and, according to Zeus, this other Knight revealed themselves on the day that I was knighted by the power of Excalibur."

"Another Pure Knight," Sirius whispered, "Amazing: and they have no idea as to who it is or what their elemental power is?"

"No and no," Harry answered, looking now to Hermione as he added, "That's why I was so on edge when I woke up this morning; another Pure Knight and they haven't revealed themselves to me; it makes me wonder if they're an ally to me or an enemy."

"Has that ever happened?" asked Hermione suddenly, looking to Sebastian, "A Dark Knight?"

"Other than the Knight _of_ Darkness, there has never been any references to a Dark Knight, or a Knight who has turned against the Elemental Order," explained Sebastian, "This is how the power of the Knights are chosen; they are given to those who the Powers That Be feel are worthy of the powers."

"So if they haven't revealed themselves," Sirius surmised, "Then there's a good reason, but the point still stands: who are they and what power do they command?"

"Whatever it is," Emma put in, both her and Dan still in shock as to Harry's revelation, "It can't be anymore powerful than Harry, can it? I mean, didn't you say that your power was that of all the Knights?"

"I did," Harry agreed, "And you raise a good point Mum; if this other Pure Knight has been blessed in any way, similar to my being a Twice-Blessed Knight, then it raises questions about their power levels and what they can do."

"I guess all we can do is wait," Dan added, "In the mean time, we need to prepare ourselves: Amelia said she'd be coming here with word about what happened at the station and you need to be ready."

"Believe me Dan," Sirius told him, "I'm more than ready."

"Sirius," Dan told him, before gesturing to where Harry seemed to be inspecting the edges of his fingernails, "I wasn't talking to you."

_**HPHG**_

Dan's guess was right on the money: at around eleven-o-clock, Amelia came to the front door of the House and, after being given permission to enter, she didn't waste time; looking first to Harry, she explained, "Molly's trial is set for 2pm this afternoon and, as you guessed Harry, I was also able to push Sirius' trial."

"To?" asked Harry.

"Straight afterwards," Amelia explained, "Knowing you would be there, I had Cornelius agree to it; he even agreed to my stipulation that Sirius' trial would be overseen by me and not the Chief Warlock; this means that, if you need to, you'll be able to use your authority as Holy Knight to speak for him."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry sighed, his eyes watching Sirius warily as he then asked, "Let me guess: Dumbledore tried to make sure that I wouldn't be able to attend the trial at all?"

"Sadly yes," Amelia replied, aware of a sly, almost calculating look in Harry's eyes as she then added, "Harry, as your Vassal, I will always do my best to show the loyalty that you entrust me with in everything I do; no matter what, Dumbledore will never defeat me."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry nodded, his smile now accompanying his calculating look, "Let's just say that, if all goes according to plan, then you won't have to worry about Dumbledore much longer; now, before we go, I think we should go over the basics of what I can and can't say in the trials and what will happen with Molly and Sirius."

Amelia nodded in agreement, before she was led, by Harry, through to the lounge for what she assumed would be quite the informative conversation…

_**HPHG**_

At ten-minutes-to-two, Harry entered Courtroom One of the Ministry Council Chambers, his eyes taking in every detail as he moved over to the witness box, his eyes aware of most of the witches and wizards in attendance looking upon both he and Hermione with disdain.

'_I smell trouble,_' Harry mentally told Hermione, '_Be ready for anything._'

'_I will,_' Hermione replied, '_Did you allow the other Weasleys to be here?_'

'_Arthur will be here as a proxy for the family,_' Harry told her, '_As for the others, I can only hope our little slave doesn't show, or I may be forced to punish him._'

'_You're enjoying having Ron's life in your hands aren't you?_' The question was asked with amusement, so Harry provided an equally amusing response.

'_What do you think?_'

Moments later, the doors opened again and, as Harry watched, he smiled to himself as he saw Remus, Dan, Emma, Sebastian, Tyler, Felicia, Dante and Elora all walk in, the youngest of the Order, much to Harry's surprise, accompanied by Tonks, who inclined her head to Harry when she saw him. Taking their own seats with their Lord and Lady, Harry was about to ask about a certain mutt when he saw the figure at Remus' heels, both the former Professor – and Harry hadn't been happy when he'd learned that – and the dog moving to a spectator's area of the room.

Following them were Amelia, Cornelius Fudge, who actually looked intimidated at the sight of Harry sitting there, as well as a rather unusual-looking woman with a face like a toad and dressed in a flowery pink cardigan. Behind them were Arthur Weasley, who gave Harry a swift bow as he entered, Lucius Malfoy, who held a rather apathetic look as he saw the Holy Knights, and, at long last, the so-called star of the show that was to come: Dumbledore.

While Fudge, the cardigan-wearing woman and Amelia made their way to the head of the room, Dumbledore walked across the courtroom and stopped before Harry, Arthur now taking his seat in the witness box as the Headmaster cleared his throat and addressed the Holy Knight. "Harry my boy; I understand what you think has transpired, but is there any real need for all these theatrics? I'm sure a formal apology and an agreement of terms would settle this matter."

"It probably would," Harry agreed, his silver eye glowing dimly in the near-darkness of the room, "But we both know the terms that Molly would ask, don't we Albus _old chap?_"

"I'm sure if you let me speak with her," Dumbledore began, but was cut off by Harry lifting a hand, his eyes now locked on the old man.

"No," he said flatly, "Molly is a member of House Weasley, of which Arthur is the House Head and _I_ am their House Lord and Protector; she insulted my betrothed several times and tried to pin her son's actions on my…what did she call them Hermione?"

"Delusions," Hermione explained, earning a smile of success from Harry.

"That's right, so, if you don't mind, Chief Warlock, I believe the Minister and his Cabinet are waiting to speak."

Dumbledore, seeing that defeat was inevitable, moved to the same seats where Fudge was sitting with Amelia and the toad woman, before the Minister had the doors sealed and banged his gavel. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot; we are gathered here today to inquire as to the actions of one Molly Weasley nee Prewitt; witness for the defence is Chief Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore; judging and questioning panel are Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister For Magic. Also present is Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister; in opposition to the Defence are Lord Harry James Potter and Lord Arthur Stephen Weasley. Against her own will, the accused has been given Veritaserum and sworn a magical oath to speak the truth at all times; any questions?"

"I have a question," Harry spoke up, "And that is why Lord Dumbledore and the Minister are recognised for their titles, but, for the sake of equality, neither my betrothed nor I are simply recognised as anything more than witnesses?"

"Of course," Fudge smiled, Harry suddenly having a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore had played his hand in this, "As I was saying; witness to the opposition are Lord Harry James Potter, _Holy Knight of Thunder_, and Lady Hermione Granger, _Holy Knight of Ocean_ as well as Lord Arthur Weasley, proxy and witness to the Vassal House of Lord Potter."

He said the titles of Harry and Hermione with great difficulty, but it had the expected reactions; half the Wizengamot were suddenly looking very nervous and, in the corner of the room, Harry caught sight of a blonde-haired woman quickly writing down the details of the trial, a pair of horrid-looking glasses covering her eyes.

"Arthur," Harry asked calmly, "Who's that woman?"

"That's Rita Skeeter," answered Arthur, "She's usually the one to report on cases such as these; she's going to have a field day with what you've said will happen today."

"I'm sorry you have to speak out against her," Harry whispered, "But I can't let her threaten my life or Hermione's any longer; I only hope you understand."

"I do Harry," Arthur replied, "And whatever punishment you feel is right for her, I will agree to; you have my word, my Lord."

Fudge cleared his throat, signalling that he wanted the attention of everyone in the room; resuming his glance to the floor, Harry smirked inwardly, 'Have fun while you can Fudge,' he thought, 'Because no-one here, not even Amelia, is aware of the _other_ little surprise I have in store for you today.'

"Bring in the accused," Fudge commanded, Harry watching as the door opened and Molly was led in; she looked to be covered in a lot of dirt and grime, her eyes were red and puffy, but they were also relaxed, indicating the presence of Veritaserum.

When Molly took her seat, Harry watched as chains seemed to spring out of nowhere, fastening the accused to the chair as Harry rose first, Dumbledore moving at the same time. Seeing the movements, Fudge asked, "Would you mind stating your name for the record please?"

"Molly Ann Weasley nee Prewitt," answered the woman, her voice a monotone, relaxed tone that spoke only truth.

"You are a resident of the house known as the Burrow in Ottery St Catchpole, yes?"

"Yes."

"You are here on charges of breaking the betrothal of a pureblood heir and a _Holy Knight_ as well as continuous threats against said members of the wizarding community, do you acknowledge these charges?"

"Yes."

"Very well," Fudge looked to Harry, seemed to give a sneer, before he added, "Lord Dumbledore, if you would."

Surprisingly, it was Lucius who then lifted his wand, his eyes on Fudge, who blanched as he asked, "Yes Lord Malfoy?"

"Pardon my rudeness Minister," Lucius remarked, "But, according to protocol of witness questioning, is it not the higher authority who questions first?"

"Yes," Fudge replied, "And Lord Dumbledore is the Chief Warlock."

"And Lord Potter is a Holy Knight," Lucius reminded Fudge, "As well as Lord to the House of Potter and, by your own admittance, he _is_ a recognised Holy Knight of Thunder, which gives him the authority over Lord Dumbledore."

"Well yes but…"

"The court recognises Lord Malfoy's explanations," Umbridge spoke up; she had a high-pitched, almost musical voice that, when it wanted to, could hold a tone of malice, but now held a tone of respect, "Lord Potter is given the right to question first."

"Thank you Madam Secretary," Harry nodded, now taking the floor, his stance showing confidence that, if it were a liquid, would have flooded the room; out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Dumbledore's eyes lose their sparkle, his hand moving rather subtly to his robe pocket.

To the casual onlooker, Harry appeared to flick a stray strand of dust from the black robe that he was wearing; but, at the same time as the _casual flick_, the Holy Knight had summoned a wind to move whatever Dumbledore was reaching for, causing a clattering item to hit the floor.

Every eye was now on Dumbledore, Harry looking to the headmaster and Chief Warlock with an eye of curiosity as he asked, "Hiding something Chief Warlock?"

Amelia's wand was in her hand before Dumbledore could argue; she summoned the item, or should that be _items_, to her hand; opening her hand, Amelia spoke up, "Lord Dumbledore, can you explain why you have a potion in your pocket and why you still have your wand when you are a witness and not among the panel for this trial?"

"Madam Bones," Fudge insisted, "Lord Dumbledore is Chief Warlock; you will not question his actions."

"I'm curious," Harry remarked, now spreading his arms and even emptying his pockets, "I have no wand nor do I hold my family's ancestral weapon and yet my authority is higher than that of Lord Dumbledore: who makes the rules around here Minister?"

"That would be me _Lord_ Potter," Fudge remarked, Harry now smirking as he found his plan working better than he could have expected, "And I do not recognise your authority: you are only there on a _casual_ ruling."

"Minister!" gasped Umbridge, her eyes on Harry as if she shared his shock, "How can you allow Lord Dumbledore one privilege but deny the authority of someone with more authority than him?"

"Probably because he thinks me a minor," Harry remarked, now turning to Molly as he shook his head, "Sad really: ah well, Madam Bones, would you mind keeping hold of those items until the conclusion of the trial?"

"Of course Lord Potter," Amelia nodded, "Please continue."

"Thank you," Harry nodded, before he looked to Molly as he asked, "Lady Molly Weasley, you are the mother of Ginevra Weasley, are you not?"

"I am."

"And," Harry continued, "You are aware of the relationship between your daughter and myself, are you not?"

"I am."

"What is it that you think will happen if our friendship continued?"

Dumbledore went to object, but the question had been asked and Molly _had_ to answer, "You would be forced to marry Ginny and part yourself from the filthy Muggleborn who is nothing more than a mere fling."

Harry heard the chair's scrape before he saw Dan on his feet, Hermione now placing her hand on her Father as Harry continued, "And who told you this would happen?"

"Albus Dumbledore."

As gasps of shock were shared among the Wizengamot, Harry nodded once as he asked, "And how were you to achieve this?"

"I am an expert at Potion Crafting; it would have been an easy task to slip you several love and obedience potions before allowing Dumbledore to weaken your magic and bind you to Ginny where you belong."

"And if that didn't work?"

"It would."

Despite the Veritaserum, Harry heard the confidence in the response; with a slow smile, he asked, "Could you possibly be referring to an incident that occurred earlier in the year with your son, one Ronald Weasley?"

"Yes."

"How did you know about that?"

"I told him to."

"Could you explain," Harry continued, now aware of Hermione sharing her Father's anger, "For the court what this plan of yours was?"

"She is now old enough to be considered betrothal material and arrange a marriage contract; when my son had taken something of real importance to her and claimed her as his, I would have brought her up on falsified charges of seducing a pureblood and using the Dark Arts to bed him; no-one would have been any the wiser."

"And you would have gotten away with it," Harry sighed, before he adopted a rather mocking tone as he added, "If it wasn't for us meddling kids: such a shame: and how do you explain your actions of using compulsion charms and trying to break my betrothal?"

"It was for the Greater Good," Molly replied, half the Wizengamot now feeling sick as she continued, "Once you were alone, I'd slip you the potion, you'd impregnate my daughter and then, when you died, she'd get everything."

"Ah," Harry sighed again, "A good plan, but you forget one little thing: I was more than aware of your plans and stopped them at every opportunity and now, Molly, your future is in my hands."

"Not so Lord Potter," Fudge spoke up, "We now have the counter questioning."

"No we don't," Amelia _and_ Umbridge chorused, before Amelia nodded to Harry as she added, "If you would, my Lord."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry replied, now turning to the Wizengamot as he explained, "Under Veritaserum and oath, Molly Weasley has confessed her crimes and has hinted at suggestions of the ancient crime of Line Theft and the laws of the Old Ones, stating that a Pureblood cannot bed a Muggleborn willingly and that the only explanation, in their eyes, is dark magic. As Holy Knight of Thunder _and_ as a Twice-Blessed Knight, I hereby submit to you all that Molly…is guilty: all in favour?"

At least ninety percent of the wands in the court were lit, Harry not really surprised to notice that Fudge wasn't one of them; when he asked for opposed, there were a sparse handful of wands lit, before Amelia cleared her throat and spoke, "Molly Weasley has been found guilty of her crimes and, believe me, a full investigation into the role played by Lord Dumbledore _will_ be given. As the offended party and Lord of her Vassal House, I leave the final decision of punishment to Lord Potter."

"Then this is what I propose," Harry replied, his voice calm despite the storm that was going on under his skin, "As punishment, I first disown Molly Prewitt from the Weasley Line: Lord Weasley, do you agree?"

"I do," Arthur replied, Harry aware of another name being stricken from his Vassals.

"Second," Harry continued, "I put it to you, ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot that Molly Prewitt be put to work under the watch of her own family; her now ex-son, Charlie works on a dragon reserve in Romania and the Gringotts goblins, of which her ex-son Bill works for, also have dragon pens in their tunnels; I propose that Molly spends the next ten years going back and forth between the reserves and tunnels as a dragon fertilizing assistant and pen cleaner, after which she spends the rest of her life in Azkaban: all in favour?"

This time, every wand was in the air; in their eyes, she was getting off easy; when Harry asked for opposition, only Fudge's wand was lit, before Harry nodded once.

"Then it's settled," Amelia explained, "Aurors, take Miss Prewitt away and, for the sake of continuity, could Lord Dumbledore please leave the courtroom; your service is no longer required."

"Amelia," Fudge growled, "You are risking your j-"

A large, _very_ bright bolt of lightning struck the desk in front of Fudge, Harry now turning to the man as he added, "_Minister_ Fudge, the next order of business does not concern you either, but, since you're here, I think it only fair that I say this: for failing to recognise the authority and presence of the Holy Knights; for attempted counter-attacks against the authority of said Knights and many other crimes that I could mention, I, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, call for Minister Fudge's immediate dismissal as Minister For Magic!"

"You can't do…"

Fudge was silenced again; this time by Amelia, who looked to the Wizengamot as she asked, "All in favour with Sir Potter's suggestions?"

Every wand lit…even Malfoy, who then asked, "My Lord and Sir Potter, who do you nominate as his replacement?"

"Someone who has spent time with the Holy Knights," Harry explained, "Knows and respects their authority and also knows how to play a fair and even game when it comes to the tough decisions: I, Harry Potter, nominate Amelia Bones to become the new Minister."

As Amelia stared at Harry in shock, Lucius asked for an agreement;

The vote was unanimous: even Harry summoned a bolt of lightning to send into the air as his sign of agreement, Fudge now being stricken from the room while Amelia took his seat, her eyes still on Harry.

"You know something?" asked the new Minister, "You should have been a Slytherin Sir Potter: anyway, onto the next case: the trial of one Sirius Black."

"Madam Bones," Dumbledore began, but, as he had done all afternoon, Harry's mental tennis racket was there to return Dumbledore's plans and volleys.

"It's _Minister Bones_ now Dumbledore," he explained, "And I believe you were told by the _Minister_ that you were not required: now, I happen to know the location of one Sirius Black and, if you would permit me a recess, Minister, I can go and fetch him."

"Very well," Amelia replied, trying her hardest to hide her smile of success, "Court is adjourned for now; we shall reconvene at 3pm; the only witness other than the accused shall be Sir Potter, given that it was you, my Lord, who found him."

"As you wish," Harry replied, inclining his head to Amelia as he left, fully aware of everyone that followed him…

_**HPHG**_

"I say it again; you should have been a Slytherin with that," Amelia laughed, watching as their entourage all gathered in the Minister's office, Harry aware of Sirius hiding in the shadows of the room; if he were seen, then it would be too late. "Why didn't you tell me what you were planning Harry? You know that I would have gone along with any plans of yours."

"I wanted to surprise you," Harry explained, "And I wanted to confirm my suspicions before I said anything: Amelia, almost literally, I owe you my life and, be it as a Lord, Sir, whatever that is, or as just plain Harry, I will do all in my power to repay your kindness."

"I thank you," Amelia replied, "And a Sir is the title of a Knight; well, it is kind of obvious."

"I guess so," Harry agreed, "And I also think that my punishment for that poisonous preaching parrot was nothing short of justice."

"How so?"

Hermione took up the conversation here, "Harry has the alliance of the goblins through their Chief, Ragnok; not to mention, as he said, Charlie and Bill Weasley are members of his Vassal House."

"That's a lot of respect," Amelia nodded, "So you have the Weasley boys keeping an eye on her and Ragnok himself being the one to deal with her duties to the goblins' dragons. Speaking of which, how's yours doing?"

"She'll hatch any day now," Harry answered, "And I've settled on a name for her: Iris, after the Greek Goddess who it was said travelled with the speed of the wind: sounds like a good name for the pet and friend a Knight of Thunder."

"It certainly fits," Amelia agreed, "And I have better news, well, I do now that I am Minister: I'll see to it that Iris can be with you at Hogwarts in the new year, but only if you agree to something I've thought of to help protect you and your friends."

"What's that?" asked Harry.

Amelia smiled and, looking to where Sirius was in hiding, turned back to Harry as she explained, "Nothing that Dumbledore will like, but something that you will, because it concerns the old dog there."

She had Harry's full attention…

_**HPHG**_

When the Wizengamot returned to Courtroom One, Harry had to try and keep his face as apathetic and expressionless as a certain Potions Master, but inside, his excitement and happiness were off the scale: Amelia's idea wasn't just a good one; it was a _fantastic _idea and, as she said, Dumbledore wouldn't like it, but, if Harry had to guess, Dumbledore would be Hogwarts History within a year.

As the court reconvened, Amelia inclined her head politely to Harry, who this time had been allowed to keep a tight hold on Excalibur in case of trouble while the best of Amelia's forces, the dark skinned Auror named Kingsley Shacklebolt, as well as Sebastian, were outside the courtroom to make sure that no-one tried to avert this.

When the court were seated, Amelia banged her gavel and spoke in a clear, authority-filled voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wizengamot, this trial is to answer for the alleged crimes against Lord Sirius Orion Black; present are witness to the defence, Sir Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder and Twice-Blessed Knight, who, since discovering the location of the accused, has had Lord Black under house arrest. Also present are Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and Amelia Bones, recently appointed Minister for Magic. Sir Potter, if you would be so kind?"

"Of course," Harry replied, now stepping up to where the Minister was seated, Amelia using the tip of her wand to draw out memories from within Harry's mind and store them in a special device that would allow the whole room to bear witness to them.

Once she was done, Amelia looked to the room before she announced, "Bring in the accused!"

Sirius, looking a lot healthier than he had done the first time Harry had seen him, walked into the courtroom and took the seat, the chains now wrapping around his wrists as Amelia continued, "Witness to the Defence, Sir Potter has willingly provided memories of the encounters with him and Lord Black; now, if you would, we will take a look at them."

Tapping the strange device, which looked like a silver egg-timer with Harry's memories in the top side of the timer, Amelia gestured to the ceiling and, in front of the whole Wizengamot, the memories were played out: they saw Harry meeting Sirius, his decision for him to run, meeting again in Hogsmeade and Harry speaking to both McGonagall and Amelia about what had happened. When they saw Sirius swear on Excalibur that he was innocent, it was pretty much an open and shut case and, when they saw the interactions between godfather and godson, it was the icing on the cake.

When the memories faded, Amelia cleared her throat as she explained, "The guilty party, one Peter Pettigrew, has already been stripped of his Order of Merlin and has been locked in Azkaban's most secure ward. For his crimes against the betrayal of the Late Lord and Lady Potter, Pettigrew will be tossed through the Veil immediately: Sir Potter, Lord Black, do either of you have anything to say against this?"

"No Minister," Harry replied, "Except my thanks; now the souls of my parents can rest in peace."

"Lord Black," Amelia added, "Given the recent evidence of threats against your godson, as Minister for Magic, I have a proposition that I would like all in agreement to light their wands to."

"What agreement Madam Minister?" asked Sirius.

"That you," Amelia replied, "Sirius Black, become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year: all in agreement?"

Every wand was lit, though none as bright as the look of shock and glee shared between Harry and Sirius…

_**HPHG**_

"Harry! Harry!"

Hermione's screams of pleasure and delight had Harry roused from sleep like the lightning that he controlled; instinctively, he went for Excalibur, but when he saw Hermione's broad smile, the Holy Knight groaned as he asked, "What is it?"

"It's hatching," Hermione replied.

Harry was down in the living room, in front of the fire where he had placed his dragon egg, faster than lightning itself; indeed, there was a large crack along the top side of the egg and, as Harry looked, a second, splintering crack echoed through the room, before there was a crash and, as Harry looked, he was lost in awe as to what he saw before him.

As Charlie Weasley had described, she was a serpentine dragon who, when she was free of the shell fragments and egg membrane, actually seemed to stand on her tail, which she coiled beneath her body; she had two sets of claws which looked harder than diamond and sharper than even Excalibur. Her scales were a beautiful shade of sky blue that seemed to glow and become burnished by the glow of the fires behind her. Her head was firm and rigid, a pair of strong golden-coloured eyes staring from within the scaly head, two pairs of horns sticking out behind her head and a small set of spikes that ran down her neckline. Seeing Harry there, the little dragon gave an almost innocent chirp before she growled in her throat and nuzzled the tips of Harry's fingers, the Holy Knight smiling when he saw her.

"Beautiful," Harry whispered, "I would have called you Bella, but Sirius would have a heart attack: no," he placed his palm, ever so gently, on the scaled brow of the little dragon, his voice as calm as a summer's breeze as he told her, "Iris; your name is Iris."

'_I…I…I like…that…name…Master._'

Staring at the little dragon, Harry's eyes were wide with awe and shock; he had known she would bond with him, but to bond in mind as well as magic: he'd never expected that.

'_Iris,_' Harry told her again, '_And don't call me Master: only my enemies call me that; you can call me anything you want, but not that, okay?_'

'_Okay,_' Iris replied, now seemingly cooing like a bird as she rubbed her scaled head against Harry's palm; it was then that the Holy Knight noticed her wings and, when he saw them, he was glad he'd called her Iris. The wings, like the body, had a main colouring of sky blue leather that seemed to fold comfortably around her body, but, in the centre of each wing was a rainbow-like design that seemed to shimmer with the light.

'_You truly are beautiful,_' Harry told her, '_My little Iris._'

'_Thank you my Knight,_' Iris replied, her soft scales feeling like water itself under Harry's fingertips; once the two had gotten used to one another, Iris fanned her wings and slowly, almost struggling in the process, glided up to Harry's shoulder where she wrapped her tail around his neck and seemed to snuggle down under the warmth of his robe.

'_Good thing you're so small,_' Harry told her, '_I'm glad you've hatched Iris: I'm going to take very good care of you._'

'_Thank you Harry,_' Iris answered him, using his name for the first time in her life.

_**HPHG**_

When Harry introduced Iris to the others, they all felt the same liking for the small reptilian creature that Harry had done when she'd hatched, although he had to laugh when Severus asked if he could have any scales that she'd shed; to his shock, Iris agreed – or rather, Harry had to tell them that she did.

It was shortly after that moment, as he was officially getting ready for the day that Harry took notice of the date: July 31st: he'd been fourteen for a couple of hours and hadn't even noticed.

From beneath his dark blue robe, Iris poked her head out and licked her forked tongue over his cheek as she asked, '_Is something wrong my Knight?_'

'_No Iris,_' Harry answered her, '_I just happened to forget that it's my birthday today: looks like something else we'll have in common: by the way, given your size, I need to know: what do you eat?_'

'_Insects,_' answered Iris, '_And small mice; I am this small for now Harry, but soon, I will be the same length as from your shoulder to your elbow._'

'_How do you speak so well?_' asked Harry, '_I mean you just hatched and you speak like you've been alive for many years._'

'_I am bonded to you,_' Iris told him, '_I know how to speak because your mind speaks with mine; I'll always be able to hear you and, when you need me to, I can also protect your mind from outsiders. I only hope that, in time, I can start to breathe my burning frost so that I can protect you when you are in need of it._' She seemed almost saddened by that, but Harry soon cheered her up when he ran his fingers along the soft scaly skin of her neck, the small dragon purring contentedly as she snuggled back down within his robe.

'_You will,_' he told her, '_It's all about patience._'

'_For what it's worth,_' Iris then replied, her soft tone indicating that she was quite possibly drifting off to sleep, '_Happy birthday my Knight._'

'_Happy birthday to you too, my little Iris._' Harry replied, petting the part of his robe where Iris was nestled, a soft smile crossing his lips as he thought about the kind of experiences he would have with his dragon.

_**HPHG**_

While Harry may have been slightly blind as to the date, his friends and family weren't; no sooner had he returned to the lounge, opening the door ever so calmly, than a chorus of voices echoed through the room: "Happy birthday Harry!"

With a smile, Harry saw all his friends, minus Amelia – but that was to be expected, given her new position – as well as Hermione, Dan, Emma and the Order, Hermione giving him a look of questioning when she saw his smile.

"Thanks everyone," Harry told them, "I guess it's just been so hectic around here that I forgot about my own birthday and what it means for me: anyway, before we do anything else, there's one piece of business: Luna?"

Luna stepped past Hermione and looked to Harry earnestly, her eyes seemingly being lost in his as he nodded and told her, "Kneel."

Luna knelt; withdrawing Excalibur from his scabbard, Harry placed the tip of the sword on Luna's forehead, his voice as strong and as much of a leader as he could muster.

"Do you, Luna Lovegood, accept and understand the role and responsibility of being a Holy Knight?"

"I do," Luna replied.

"Do you pledge yourself, in mind, body and magic, before all these here present, to the Elemental Order and its commander, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder?"

"I do."

"And," Harry continued, "Do you solemnly swear to honour the ancestry of the Holy Knights and only use your power and authority as and when it is required?"

"I swear."

"Then," smiled Harry, now moving Excalibur's tip to Luna's shoulders, before he lifted it, his eyes shining with power as he commanded, "I, Harry James Potter, Pure Knight, Twice-Blessed Knight, Holy Knight of Thunder, do call upon the power of the Knights and the Holy Sword Excalibur to bestow you with the powers that suit you best: as Commander of the Order, I will it; so mote it be!"

"So mote it be," Luna repeated, before Excalibur's blade began to glow, its beat and shine like that of a heart beating as Luna looked up into Harry's eyes; as she did, her left eye appeared to cloud over, while at the same time, Neville's left eye became a powerful shade of fiery gold that seemed to resemble an ever-burning fire. As the eye met Harry's, Excalibur's blade shone with a bright light that seemed to flow from the sword into Luna's body, a strong rumbling now echoing around them, Sebastian watching with awe as the light enveloped Luna, a loud screech echoing through the House and, when the light faded, Harry watched as Neville ran to her side.

"Is…is she…"

"She is," answered Harry, "Once again, it seems that destiny has a sense of humour and history repeats itself."

"How?" asked Hermione.

"Because," Harry explained, "Like another pair we know, Luna and Neville now match one another; he is the Holy Knight of Fire and she, Luna Lovegood, on this day, has become the newest member of the Order: the Holy Knight of Sky: just like Godric and Rowena."

"Wow," Hermione whispered, "Now there's irony for you."

"How's that?" asked Dan, watching as Harry lowered Excalibur and sheathed it, his face slightly weary from the knighthood.

"Because," Hermione explained, "Luna is a member of Ravenclaw House and Neville is not only Harry's blood-brother, but a member of Gryffindor."

"I'd say that's irony," Sirius agreed, watching as Harry now moved to a seat, his face filled with an expression of hope and peace.

Once everyone had recovered from the aftershocks of the knighthood, Harry began to open the presents he'd been given: from Sirius, he received a two-way mirror that held a bolt of lightning on both sides of its pendant casing as well as what Sirius described to be an Heir's Ring, which would mark Harry as Sirius' heir. From Remus, Harry received a new set of defence texts as well as a set of candles that were magically tuned to help with meditation and any cases of memory. Dan and Emma had banded together for Harry and bought him a whole new wardrobe for the summer as well as what appeared to be his own mountain bike; Harry, who had never ridden before, still treated this as his best present yet. Sebastian and the Order had bought a set of robes that would mark him as the new lord of Camelot and a Twice-Blessed Knight as well as a set of battle robes embossed with the Holy Knights Crest.

From Severus, which surprised Sirius slightly, Harry received a book on Potions Making that also included several that the Ministry would probably frown on…if the Minister and Harry weren't such good friends that is; he also sent Harry a full Potions kit for his own studies and a new diamond-edged dagger for collecting ingredients. Neville and Luna gave Harry a new photo album, but this one was filled with images of Harry, the Order and his friends and family, the cover of which held an image of Harry surrounded by Prongs and Ariel within the graveyard; later, Hermione explained that she had provided the image from their memories.

Amelia's gift actually surprised Harry as she sent him a book on Unspeakables and the magic that they used, as well as a note that told him that the book was his to study to his heart's content. From the Weasleys, much to Harry's surprise, he was sent a large amount of his favourite Honeydukes sweets and several letters that all apologised profusely for Molly, Ron and the Bighead Boy, before Charlie Weasley had helped provide them with a book on Dragon Care for Harry, his letter asking for the name.

Harry's last gift was from Hermione and, when he opened it, he knew then that she was always going to know who was at her side; like he had done at Christmas, Hermione had given Harry a silver necklace with a stag on the pendant, but when you turned it over, there was also a dragon and a bolt of lightning and inside, apart from a keepsake area, were the words:

_To Sparky, Love Ariel_

'_Perfect,_' Harry told her, as he was too busy kissing her to say anything else; after a rather enjoyable party, Harry looked to Sebastian and, with a soft smile, asked the question he'd wanted to all summer.

"How do we get to Camelot?"

"Excalibur," answered Sebastian, "Place it in the ground and command the gateway to open: only the true bearer of Excalibur can do this, so you'll be safe to come and go as you please."

Unsheathing his sword, Harry held it before his friends, his eyes on each of them as he asked, "You all ready?"

"You know we are pup," Sirius told him, "Go for it: we'll be right behind you."

Deciding that there was nowhere better than his own home to open the gateway, Harry walked out towards the main hallway and, standing in front of the door, turned his back to the main entrance and struck Excalibur into the ground, ironically in the same place he had embedded it in the first time around. As he did, the strong waves of magic from his sword had Harry's eyes glowing, his hair blowing around madly and his own magic increasing in strength as he commanded, "I, Harry James Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, hereby order the gateway to Camelot to open: as Pure Knight and bearer of Excalibur, I command you: let the gate to the land of magic now be seen!"

A powerful bright white light seemed to strike from the tip of the sword, snaking along the ground until it reached the foot of the stairway; as Harry watched the light rising into the air, he was unaware of a second light now joining the first, which then split in two, causing a large stone doorway to appear in the middle of the room, Harry's magic now burning with the raw power he could feel. Upon the door was what Harry assumed to be the crest of Camelot: a crimson dragon in front of two crossed-over lightning bolts, the seal of Camelot placed upon a shield that, as the light brightened, began to part, the gateway to Camelot opening.

However, as the gates opened, Harry's eyes must have been playing tricks on him, because for a short second, he thought he saw someone standing there; his delusions were confirmed when Hermione asked, "Who's that?"

"I…I don't know," Harry replied, watching as the figure, which he noticed to be dressed all in white, a hood covering their face, stepped out and lifted their hand, the light from the door dying away, the metal of Excalibur now glowing with magic. "I think…" he whispered, "It's…the other one; the Knight."

The figure stopped before Harry, their white apparel showing Harry the one thing that confirmed them to be a Knight: the white phoenix crest that Harry himself had designed, before the figure bowed low to him and, standing again, placed their hand upon Harry's, which was still holding onto Excalibur.

"Hello Harry," a soft voice spoke and every member of the magical side of Harry's life froze; Remus, Sirius and Harry all stopped themselves dead, the reaction of the Holy Knight of Thunder causing Excalibur to be removed from the ground, the gateway vanishing as quickly as it had been summoned.

"It…can't…be," whispered Sirius, now stepping up next to his godson.

"It's…not…possible," gasped Remus, now standing on Harry's other side.

"I…can't…believe it," Harry whispered, reaching out to the hood, pulling it down with ease, his shock turning into a look of tearful disbelief combined with happiness when he saw a strong white eye and an emerald eye staring back at him from beneath a head of red hair.

"Hello again…my little Sparky," smiled the new Knight, "Lily Potter, Holy Knight of Light: back with you and here to stay!"

**Chapter 23 and, at long last, the OTHER is revealed to be…Lily? How? Isn't she dead? Or supposed to be anyway; how is this possible and what does this mean for Camelot and Harry's normal life?**

**Also, with Iris at his side and Amelia as Minister, can Harry FINALLY have a normal year?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: It seems there's an explanation needed, but it's one that Harry finds hard to believe, until he gets another visit…from Merlin; plus, Camelot finally opens its doors to the Holy Knights and, with just one Knight left to anoint, who will Harry choose to complete the Holy Knights?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Also, in regards to Harry's dragon, I would like to thank Francis Black for the suggestion as to the name; as soon as I read it – back in a review from chapter 20 – I liked it, but I wanted to see what others came up with; now that the name has been chosen, it seems to fit; thanks to everyone who offered their opinions…**


	24. A Knight Becomes A King

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 23:**

**Stallion6 of deviantart: No other legendary swords will make an appearance; also, if you've read the story pretty well, then you'd remember that Harry is also a Pureblood; Hermione is Muggleborn and, other than Tommy and (probably) the last Knight, she is the only non-pureblood in the Order…for now anyway;**

**DarkHeart81: Umbridge is going to be a nice person, but only towards Harry…given his status and, before you ask, YES, it will be genuine;**

**Zamia: I enjoyed writing every word, paragraph and piece of the chapter; I'm glad you liked reading it;**

**Happylady: James will NOT be in the story, despite his own roles in Harry's heritage;**

**Tsukiyo Tenshi: No, James will not be back;**

**StormyFireDragon: Impressive suggestions, but I do have ideas;**

**MariusDarkwolf: Its quite creative and almost ingenious, but that's all I'm saying;**

**Eliizilla-rawr: Thanks for that, I'll remember it;**

**Francis Black: Thanks man; it just seemed to fit so well;**

**Cateagle: Methinks you are right about that my friend; the fun is just beginning;**

**Jarno: Well, it doesn't matter how you feel about that, since I'm the one writing the story;**

**Harryhermionealways: Things are going to get interesting for both the Knights and Camelot;**

**Aealket: I have sneaky plans and clever tricks surrounding the MOB; he'll be gone by the time the Dark Knight makes his return;**

**Voldemort is Dead: I'll be sure to check them out;**

**Oh, and before I forget: YES! 500 + Reviews and the story's not over yet: THANKS TO EVERYONE!**

"_I…can't…believe it," Harry whispered, reaching out to the hood, pulling it down with ease, his shock turning into a look of tearful disbelief combined with happiness when he saw a strong white eye and an emerald eye staring back at him from beneath a head of red hair._

"_Hello again…my little Sparky," smiled the new Knight, "Lily Potter, Holy Knight of Light: back with you and here to stay!"_

Chapter 24: A Knight Becomes A King

Harry, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, Dan, Emma and the Order all stared in shocked silence, the Holy Knight of Thunder trying his hardest not to break down in tears as to what he was seeing, what he was hearing, in front of him: the other Pure Knight, the Holy Knight of Light, was his _Mother_? She was alive?

"Harry," Lily whispered, now seemingly cradling her son's cheek in her hand, her touch as soft as Buckbeak's feathers as she smiled at him, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"M…Mother," Harry whispered back, his heterochromic eyes now filled with the sadness and joy that he was feeling, "You're…you're alive."

"Yes," smiled Lily, now placing a soft kiss on her son's forehead as she added, "I'm alive; I'm here and I'm never going to leave your side again."

The next words came from Sirius, his eyes wide with shock and a small sense of horror as he asked, "B-But how? I was there Lil, I saw your bodies, I saw Harry; I…"

"Padfoot," Lily whispered, "You did what you felt was right at the time, but sadly, you were too quick to leave, or else you would have seen it."

"Seen what?" asked Remus, his own voice now finding its way to his lips as he looked to Lily, "What do you mean Lily? How is it that you're standing here and how are you a Knight?"

"You mean you never knew?" asked Lily, "Why else would Harry be a Twice-Blessed Knight? He's a combined-third-generation Pure Knight of the Elemental Order; Charles was the Holy Knight of Light and James inherited the instincts and life of the Knights, but not the power…not until he married me."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, "How was it that Grandfather was a Holy Knight and not Dad? How could he have been the Holy Knight of Light when that's who you are?"

"Because my original Knighthood," explained Lily, "Was the very Knight that your lovely girlfriend is right now: the Holy Knight of Ocean; the only reason that Sebastian and the Order never truly discovered my potential was because of…well, I think you can guess."

There was an ominous rumble of thunder in the air, before everyone gasped as Harry's body suddenly started to glow with a powerful, almost electrical surge of silver energy, his right hand now shaking furiously, Excalibur's bright-metal blade trembling, the edge of the blade crackling with electricity and lightning as Harry listened to his Mother's words.

"Harry," Hermione told him, now approaching his side; however, as she reached out to take his hand, she was stopped by Lily, the eyes of the Holy Knight of Light filled with sadness and regret as she shook her head.

"No," she advised Hermione, "Let him let it out."

"Al-bus Dum-ble-dore!" growled Harry, his voice almost monotone as he looked to the woman that held the hand of his betrothed, "It was because of that monster, that manipulative old…bastard that my family lost its heritage?"

"It was," Lily nodded sadly, "And watch your language young man."

That attempt at parental humour seemed to calm the storm; Harry stopped shaking, his glow now fading and Excalibur's electrified blade now becoming solid steel again as he looked to her, his face now managing a weak smile, his eyes filled with tears.

"Mum," he gasped, "It…it is you."

"In the flesh," Lily nodded, before she walked over and wrapped her arms around her son, Harry dropping Excalibur to the floor as he returned the gesture, Lily's next words confirming any doubts that Harry had, "You're safe, you're strong and you know that you are always loved."

"But…but…" Harry gasped, now wiping his eyes as he looked to his Mother, "How?"

"In a word," Lily answered, "Merlin."

"_The_ Merlin?" asked Dan, "Are you serious?"

"No that's him," Lily laughed, nodding her head to the still stunned Marauder, whose face then turned into a wry smile as he heard the old joke; it was Lily all right.

"And yes," Lily then continued, "The Merlin; Father of all Magic; the one true Light Lord in all magical history and the founder and first of the Holy Knights."

"How?" asked Harry, Lily now straightening up, though she didn't let go of her son's hand as she answered him.

"Let's move into the lounge; I'll explain everything."

_**HPHG**_

Sitting in the warm, though unfamiliar embrace of his Mother, Harry let his head rest on her chest, her soft touch making him know that he was safe, strong and loved, a small part of him remembering the touch from his younger years as she began to speak.

"Let's get one thing straight first of all," Lily explained, "I…I _did_ die and my soul _did_ pass over to the next adventure, but, once there, it was like I was stuck."

"How?" asked Hermione, not at all concerned that she wasn't the one comforting her betrothed; he had his Mother back; his family; she would allow him this.

"I don't really know," Lily explained, "But once there, I met him: Merlin and he gave me a warning about your future, about how exactly I had died and about the destiny that you were to face."

"Let me guess," Harry sighed, though his voice was softer than it would have been had he asked anyone else, "He told you about Dumbledore's so-called prophecy?"

"He did," Lily answered, "And then he gave me a choice: he said I could pass on and he would use what magic he could to see you safe…or, I could offer him my soul and he would store it inside an item that would become my son's most noble and powerful ally."

"Excalibur," Hermione nodded.

"Excalibur," Lily confirmed, "And when I heard about that, I asked him how I could still see and protect my son if I was nothing but a spirit: that was when he gave me the deal: my power as the Holy Knight would be finally awakened, but only when my son had reached his destined level and, in return for my own power, I had to change my destiny. Going from the Holy Knight of Ocean…"

"To the Holy Knight of Light," Harry finished, his hand now seemingly toying with a strand of Lily's red hair, his eyes half-closed as he listened to her explanation. "You gave that up; gave Dad up…for me."

"I loved James," Lily told him, "But when I learned of the true purpose behind our deaths and how you wouldn't even know of your destiny until the old fool thought the time was right, I just lost it."

"Lily always did have a fiery temper," Sirius groaned.

"Still have the scar?" asked Lily, Harry now looking to his godfather with an air of amusement.

"I was young," Sirius groaned, wincing as a memory seemed to come back, "I was foolish."

"Was?" chorused Harry, Lily, Remus _and_ Hermione, all of them laughing at Sirius' slight humiliation before Harry asked, "So what happened after that?"

"Merlin kept his word," Lily explained, "He stored my soul inside Excalibur's blade and told me that, when the time was right, my body would return with my soul and I would see my little boy again. And here you are," she added, running a hand through Harry's dark hair, "So strong; so handsome and so much more powerful than you would have been if I hadn't come back."

"Actually," Harry sighed, before he beckoned with one hand, Hermione now moving to his side where she took his hand and, Lily removing her embrace from her son, pulled Harry to his feet, the two of them seemingly glowing in the light of the room as Harry continued, "The real reason for that side of me is because of this lovely angel that you see here: we're betrothed and bonded through the Ritual of Release and I couldn't ask for a better girlfriend than her."

"I know," Lily smiled, "And I'm glad to see the right kind of girl on the arm of my little Knight."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled, before she actually blushed when Harry placed a light kiss on her cheek, before she asked, "What do I call you Lady Evans?"

"Lily's fine," explained the Holy Knight of Light, "Or Aunt Lily; I don't really matter; same goes for you, young man," she added, now turning to where Neville was still in shock with the return of his godmother and the mother of his blood-brother, "I am aware that you and Harry are now brothers in blood and magic, so you can call me your Aunt as well."

When Neville gave a nod of response, Harry turned to Dan and Emma, both of whom were looking at him with sad smiles; releasing Hermione's hand, Harry moved across the room and hugged them both, his eyes closed as he spoke to them, "I just want to thank you for everything; I hope you'll understand why I can't call you Mum and Dad anymore, but you will _always_ be my family."

"We know," Dan replied, patting Harry on the back as he heard soft sniffles from his wife.

"We'll always be here for you Harry," Emma added, her own eyes on Lily who, unbeknownst to Harry, was also smiling and, meeting Emma's eyes, mouthed the words _thank you_ to her.

Releasing himself, Harry turned back to his real Mother, his hand now holding Excalibur once again as he asked, "So, is there anything else I need to know or can I just go ahead and open the gate again?"

"You can open the gate in your own time Harry," Lily explained, "But before you do, would you mind if I sent a little message to a certain someone we know and loathe? I want him to know that you are now beyond the reach of my _extremely_ distant relative once and for all."

"Is that wise?" asked Sirius, "If Albus learns you're alive Lil, he'll do anything to see you and Harry back on his side."

"I think its very wise Sirius," Lily added, "Besides; I'd also like a certain Slytherin Head to learn that I'm back, so that I can see with my own eyes if his relationship to Harry is well and truly repaired."

_**HPHG**_

While Lily was writing her returning letter, Harry left the room and made his way out to the front entrance of the House, his eyes now filled with joy and a sense of hope that he had not felt since Hermione's return to his side after the Chamber of Secrets.

From within his robe, Harry smiled to himself as he felt a curious head nuzzling his chest, before Iris poked her head out and, giving him a curious growl in her throat, she asked, '_Are you sure that you're okay Harry?_'

'_Don't worry about me Iris,_' Harry replied, gently petting his young friend as he addressed her, her presence in his mind making him feel more secure than he had before, '_It's just a shock to see her; I mean, I grew up with the knowledge that I'd never see them again and now here is my Mother, a Holy Knight and alive and I have Merlin to thank. It'll just take time to adjust is all; are you all right with my Mother though? I haven't really introduced you to her yet._'

'_No,_' agreed the Silverback, '_But I feel her power and it shines like the sun; her light is as strong as your storm and I know that she cares for you; that makes her my friend as she is your Mother._'

"Harry?"

Turning away from the door, Harry watched as Lily emerged from the lounge, her face adopting an almost awed smile when Iris poked her head over Harry's shoulder. Approaching her son, Lily gently stroked Iris' head, earning a smile of calm emotion from Harry as she told him, "She's a cute one: let me guess: Silverback?"

"Mum," groaned Harry, though he held a smile, "Your soul was infused with Excalibur; you'll have known everything about me."

"I could only feel while I was infused with your blade," Lily explained, "Or did you think it a coincidence that your anger always seemed to draw the sword out?"

"So Sirius was right," Harry laughed, "Don't upset Lily Potter, because she's as fiery as this little girl."

"What's her name?" asked Lily, now watching as Iris snaked her tongue across the Holy Knight's palm, Harry now gently petting his young friend's neck, earning a long, rumbling purr from the dragon chick.

"Iris," he answered, "After the Greek Goddess: it was a gift of fealty and thanks from the Weasleys."

"They are a noble band of allies for you," Lily told him, "I felt only loyalty and strength when your allies were with you, except in the cases of the fat banshee and the one that you always call the…what was it?"

"Dead Man Walking?" asked Harry, "Who is now also a slave to House Potter?"

"He's the one," Lily answered, "And if he thought you were a bad person to upset, just wait until he learns of my temper; anyway, I'd like to talk to you about another of your allies."

"Oh really?" asked Harry, "Who?"

"Hermione of course," Lily explained, "I feel the bond between you and it makes you both as strong as one another, but I want you to know that, if you're serious about taking this all the way, then you need to learn to control your violent reactions around her."

"I'll do anything I have to in order to protect her," Harry told his Mother, "I love her and I want her by my side all through my life; I failed once and, believe me, I learned that lesson first hand when Dan…"

"Don't you trail off on me young man," Lily warned him, "When Dan what?"

He may have mumbled the answer, but Lily's reaction had both Harry and Iris suddenly wishing they were elsewhere:

"DANIEL GRANGER: I WANT A WORD WITH YOU!"

_**HPHG**_

Albus Dumbledore couldn't believe his run of bad luck;

First, Harry had ignored his advice and gone against the Wizengamot, using his authority to send one of Dumbledore's most valuable pawns to a life of misery;

Second, his plan to turn Harry against Sirius and have Remus angry at the Marauder had gone down in flames;

Third, Severus had turned his back on Dumbledore and now seemed to support Harry;

And fourth, Cornelius was gone as Minister and Amelia, Harry's Vassal and someone who had instincts that were sharper than a hawk, was his replacement;

This wasn't the plan: Molly was collateral damage, but the Weasley boy, who was now Harry's slave to the House for his actions over the year; he was a key member to Dumbledore's plans; it was inevitable: Tom was coming back and Dumbledore needed Harry weakened so that he didn't _offer_ his blood for the Dark Lord. That way, it would be Knight Vs Knight and, without his weapons and knowledge, Harry would look to Dumbledore for help, before the headmaster's plans led the boy to his victory;

Before Dumbledore put him to death;

Harry needed to be put under the Light's thumb; he needed to be malleable once more and, most important of all, he needed to be split from Black and the Granger girl, but, with Sirius now being made the Defence Teacher and Granger betrothed to Harry, those plans were all but beaten.

No matter though, for Dumbledore always had a plan…

His thoughts were cut off when an owl flew through his window, a red envelope in its talons that was dropped onto Dumbledore's desk, a loud screech from his left telling him that Fawkes was suddenly deciding to be elsewhere.

Moments later, the red envelope burst open with a loud bang and, from within, a voice that could give Molly Weasley a run for her money sent all of Dumbledore's plans crashing down, burying them in the seventh circle of Hell;

"HELLO ALBUS: I'M BACK! STAY AWAY FROM HARRY OR ELSE!"

_**HPHG**_

In another part of the castle, Severus Snape looked up from his work and planning, his eyes wide as he heard the echo from the Howler that the headmaster had received.

"Impossible," he whispered, "I _know _that voice."

While he may have been denying the owner of the voice, another part of the now redeemed Potions Master felt a modicum of worry for what the voice had meant for the headmaster.

It would be nothing compared to what Severus feared if they learned of Harry's treatment at his hand…

_**HPHG**_

After Lily had left Dan shivering fearfully after learning the consequences of crossing Lily Potter, Harry had stood once more in the centre of his hallway, the Order and the Knights all gathered around him as he lifted Excalibur once more and once again drove it into the ground, his voice commanding the gates to open once again.

This time, when the stone gates opened, Harry turned to Lily and nodded to the doors, his voice calm as he told her, "After you."

"Oh no Harry," Lily replied, "Lord of the Realm goes first."

It was rather unusual to hear his own Mother seemingly place herself beneath him, but, if Harry had learned one thing from his time with his friends, it was that he was seen as their leader and so, he had to show them that he was one. Moving towards the gate, Harry kept Excalibur at his side, Lily having explained that the gate had vanished the first time because Harry did not wish it to be there. Now he wanted to know of the power beyond the gateway, the stone doors would open and remain open until he had either stepped towards or away from the light.

Passing through the gate, Harry felt a strong pull against his mind, an almost angelic voice singing through the light, the ethereal singing making Harry feel safe and comfortable with what he was about to face; at one point, he thought he heard the roar of the waves and, when the light faded, Harry saw why that had been the case. With the Order and his allies now behind him, Harry had emerged from what appeared to be a cave that seemed endless, on the edge of a long sandy beach that held no real signs of life, the only method of moving to the higher level of the land they were in being a flight of steps that seemed to be carved into the earthen cliff itself.

"This," Harry whispered, "This is Camelot."

'_It is,_' Iris replied, now moving herself up to Harry's shoulder, her tail keeping her steady on his side as she looked around, '_I feel…strange; like it is a place from a dream._'

Stroking the scales on her head, Harry smiled to himself as he found that he could only agree with his draconian friend: there was a strange calmness about this place, a never-ending peace that seemed to adapt itself to the presence of those from the other world.

"Shall we take the stairs?" suggested Sirius, a note of irony in his voice as he noticed Harry seemingly lost in the magnificence of the world.

"Follow me," the Holy Knight of Thunder replied, his posture showing both strength and awe as he led them towards the steps, Excalibur now in his hand at all times, the calmness and serenity of the wave-washed beach making Harry wish he could just settle there.

Set against the cliff-face, the stairs seemed to be as old as time and yet, as Harry began ascending, they also seemed to be as firm and strong as if they had been recently fashioned. Taking the lead, Harry turned his head as he instructed, "Single file; keep in line with the cliff; call out if you fall and I'll see what I can do to help us."

Moving up the cliff-face, Harry watched with baited breath as the stairway seemed to widen out, before it turned against the cliff, a safer and secure stairway now leading up the remainder of the cliff. Behind him, Harry heard the others gasping in awe as to the craftsmanship of their ascension; continuing up the stairway, Harry allowed himself to become lost in the silent, almost mesmerising peace of the realm of magic: now that they were truly within the world, he could feel its power. All around him was beauty and magic; from the still, unyielding earth of the cliff to the greenery that seemed to be waiting for them at the top of the stairs. Looking in said direction, Harry's sense of awe continued as he saw two large dragon statues, both of which were mounted on their hind legs, their flames seemingly immortalised in steel and stone, the sun that shone from above them making them shine with a light that, for a second, made them look alive.

Reaching the top, Harry looked back and saw his friends and family all following in stride, each of them awed by the presence of the statues, though when Harry reached the top of the stairs, he found a set of the same statues leading down the pathway like a procession, the greenery around them showing fields of flowers and trees that looked like they would never normally grow in the same place.

Then, as they moved through the procession, Harry saw it: right at the end of the two lines of statues, the only real disturbance against the seemingly endless path before them, was a large grey and white-stone wall, a wrought-iron gateway set in the centre of the wall, its size indicating the strength of the defences within the realm. It would take an army to get through there and, being that he was a Holy Knight with several others behind him, an army was what Harry had, though he held no dark intentions to the place.

As they approached the gateway, the sense of magic that Harry felt from Camelot seemed to grow stronger until, standing just a few feet from the main gateway, Harry had to stop, his face beaming proudly as he turned to his company, his eyes shining as he whispered, "It's…amazing."

"Yes it is," Lily agreed, Hermione now joining her betrothed as she added, "And, as Arch-Knight and Twice-Blessed by the Order, it's yours."

'_Told you so,_' Harry mentally commented to Hermione, '_This should be good._'

As he turned back to the gate, Harry and his allies all held their ears as a loud booming noise split the serene silence of the realm, followed by what sounded like the call of nearly a hundred trumpets and, as they tried to embrace the sound of the noise around them, Harry watched as the gateway parted, revealing the world beyond the gates of Camelot, the cause of the noise being revealed.

Standing in front of them, at the front of what seemed to be a parade of soldiers and beings that Harry supposed _lived_ in Camelot, were a set of seven figures, all of whom were dressed in robes of seven different colours: red, blue, green, grey, white, black and gold. As he examined each of the figures, Harry felt the magical presence around them spike and split between the seven before, with a loud, almost resonating hum, Excalibur also began to shine with the seven colours of the strangers, the gold and blue-bearing figures now stepping forwards as Harry finally seemed to recognise them for who they were.

Dropping to his knees, Hermione following suit, as did Neville, Luna and – much to Sirius' surprise – Lily, Harry spoke with a familiar tone of respective authority, "Lords of Nature," he exclaimed, "I am honoured to meet with you in person at last."

"Rise Sir Potter," Zeus commanded, gesturing with his hand as he added, "And rise as well Sir Longbottom, Lady Granger, Lady Evans and Lady Lovegood; the Holy Knights bow to no-one."

As the five Holy Knights rose to their feet, Harry looked beyond the gate, the sight of Camelot in all its glory now making him feel like a small person within a realm of the immortals. In some ways, Camelot was like Hogwarts: the gates that they were standing between led to what appeared to be a Lower Town guarded by the high stone walls and the gate; beyond that, Harry saw another wall with several glowing symbols at certain points, the main building of the castle towering over their heads. The Keep, or Citadel, was some eight or nine storeys high, a set of four different towers leading off the Citadel and up three more storeys, a triple-set of walls and courtyards encompassing the building, a sudden wave of true magic making Harry respect the land for what it was.

Zeus now addressed Harry once again, "When we felt the gate opening once before, we knew it was you and have been prepared for your coming to the lands: Camelot, Realm and House of the Elements and seat of the Arch-Knight, welcomes you all; please, step inside."

As Harry did, he took a moment to inspect the looks of each of the Lords of Nature, though he felt he had to correct himself when he noticed two – the Lord of Sky and the Lord of Darkness – were in fact Ladies; the Lady of Darkness, or Artemis as they later learned, had flowing raven hair and eyes that were like the moon, her body covered by the robes that marked her as the Mistress of the Night.

Her companion, the Lady of Sky, also known as Minerva – Harry actually chuckling when he learned that, was dressed in a grey robe that appeared to be made from feathers, a string of mysterious shapes around her neck; she had hair that was like freshly-fallen snow and deep blue eyes that made Harry think of the sky at midnight.

Other than the Ladies, the Lords of Nature were equally as impressive: Zeus, Lord of Thunder, with his almost silvery hair and deep golden-coloured eyes, exuded a sense of power that, now they were face-to-face, had Harry respecting the power of his birth-founder; dressed in his golden-coloured robes, the man seemed to resemble living lightning, his words as sharp as a lightning flash.

Poseidon, Lord of Ocean, had the same dark-coloured hair as the Lady of Darkness, his eyes as calm and mystical as the bottom of the seas; his blue robes seemed to shimmer and move like the currents on the ocean, a single pendant bearing a teardrop made from sapphires hung from his neck and, when he spoke, it was with a mixed emotional tone that could be as wild or as calm as the falling rains and the raging rivers.

The Lord of Fire, whom Harry later learned to be named Vulcan, dressed in red robes that made him look like he was the living incarnate of his element, had almost bronze-coloured hair that appeared to bleach at the tips, his eyes were a strong shade of sunset orange that appeared to flicker like the flame, his body and posture indicating that he was ready for anything.

The Lord of Earth, or Gaia, dressed in green robes, seemed to bring an air of calmness and peace to the environment, his posture and position showing that he was as strong as a tree and as unyielding as solid stone; his white hair, which seemed to be mixed with an oak-brown streak that was woven into a pony-tail behind his head, seemed only to emphasise his strength and radiating power while his stone-grey eyes told an onlooker that this was someone you didn't want to cross.

The last of the Lords, the Lord of Light, dressed in white robes, seemed to provide an air of familiarity to Harry that, as he stepped forwards, a deep chuckle escaping from beneath his hood, became obvious when he lowered his hood, the other Lords – even Zeus – stepping aside with a bow as a silver-haired, golden-eyed figure was revealed, a staff now materialising in his hand that held ancient, but powerful runes.

"Merlin," Harry whispered, now bowing at the waist as he corrected himself, "Lord Emrys, it's an honour to see you again."

"Thank you Lord Potter," Merlin replied, "I must say that I am surprised at your hesitant formality with me; did you like the gift I gave back to you?"

"I did sir," Harry replied, feeling Lily's hand in his as he looked up at the Father of Magic, "Thank you: I owe you a debt that, as Arch-Knight and leader of the Order, I hope I can repay someday."

"Thank you Lord Potter," repeated Merlin, before he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, his very touch feeling as magical as the rest of him as he told Harry, "You are ready to become that which destiny says you will: Camelot," he gestured around him, Harry watching as the many different inhabitants of the magical land appeared to part like the Red Sea, Merlin continuing as he explained, "Its castle, town, courtyards, stables and every inch of the lands around you; they are now yours to explore to your heart's content. However, before we do anything, there is one thing that you, as the Twice-Blessed Knight and Arch-Knight of the Elements, need to see and do: follow me."

As Merlin led the way, the inhabitants of Camelot all lowered their heads to the Holy Knights, Dan, Emma, Sirius and Remus all following closely behind the five Knights as they made their way towards the main Citadel of Camelot. Moving through yet another pair of large iron gates, Harry found himself lost for words when he saw the main hall of Camelot; it seemed to spiderweb all around them, leading off to the courtyards, up to the higher levels and towers and, of course, out into the town that surrounded the Citadel. The floor was decorated in mosaics of gold, silver and red that seemed to match the colours of the Knights, the walls decorated with shields, tapestries and ornamental decoration that seemed to hold one key topic: dragons.

Following Merlin through the main hall, Harry watched as they came to a pair of stone doors that bore a crest of a red dragon being impaled by a golden sword, a crown upon both the dragon's head and the hilt of the sword. Beneath the symbol was an inscription: _Honorem, fidelitatem, veritas, unitas, caritas enim Camelot._

Behind him, Harry heard Sebastian translate the inscription, the words striking a chord with Harry, "Honour, Loyalty, Truth and Unity: For the love of Camelot."

"Yes," Merlin agreed, "The Code that the Order of Pendragon live by and the words that the laws and peace within the land of Camelot are born on; now, if you would, after you Lord Potter."

Stepping forwards, Harry pushed the doors open, the others now sharing his gasp of awe as they looked upon a marble and steel-decorated throne room, at the head of the room was a silver throne, the same dragon insignia from the door set in both the walls of the room and the throne, Merlin now directing Harry inside as he seemed to become lost in shock.

"The throne is for the Lord," explained Merlin, "And you know who that is, don't you?"

"Yes," Harry replied, now sheathing Excalibur at long last, "Me."

"But what of the other Knights?" asked Hermione, "If Harry is Lord, should the others not have seats in court?"

"Yes they shall and yes they do Lady Granger," Merlin replied, "But Lord Potter is to become the Lord of Camelot, the, as your mind's fears have been screaming all day my Lord, _King_ of the Court and House of Camelot."

"King Harry," Sirius sniggered, "Better get used to hearing those words together eh pup?"

"If I am a King," Harry reasoned, now turning to Sirius, "I'd watch what you said to me Sirius; after all, I'm sure that if there are stables and courtyards, then there are also dungeons!"

"I'll shut up now," Sirius laughed, but not before hearing a response from both Harry and Lily;

"Good answer!"

Looking again to the throne, Harry looked to Merlin as he asked, "What do I need to do?"

"Just take your seat," Merlin explained, "I will fashion similar thrones for the other Knights, but, as Lord and ruler of Camelot, it is your duty to take your rightful throne."

"Very well," Harry sighed, moving forwards to the silver throne, his hands suddenly feeling very clammy and almost sweaty, his heart racing as he thought back to what had led him here: it had all started with a kiss and now he was to be a King.

'Well,' he thought, now turning to his friends and family, each of them watching him with warm, encouraging smiles, though Harry noticed that his own Mother seemed close to tears, 'If I am King then Hermione _will_ be my Queen: this is Camelot, then consider me Arthur and her Guinevere.'

He sat down upon the throne, marvelling at the soft feel of the throne's cushion underneath him, the sturdy silverback of the throne feeling cold against his clothes, Excalibur now moved to the side of his throne where it seemed to tie around one of the arms, so that it was in easy reach of its wielder.

"Camelot," Merlin suddenly spoke up, bowing to Harry like any Lord before a figure of royalty, "The Lords of Nature and the beings of your world; they are now yours to command and advise, Your Majesty."

With a nod of agreement, Harry watched as the other Lords then stepped through the doors to his throne room, each of them bowing respectfully to him and the Knights, Hermione now moving up to the side of Harry's throne as she placed a soft kiss on his lips, Iris now gliding to what would be a new perch on the top of the throne.

"So," Hermione asked, "How does it feel to be King?"

"Right now," Harry replied, returning the kiss with the same passion and acceptance that he had done the first time, all those months ago, "It feels pretty good."

**Chapter 24 and, if you'll permit me: Long Live the King! Harry has taken his throne and is set for a summer of learning and life in Camelot, but meanwhile, back home, will Dumbledore learn his lesson?**

**Also, who will become the seventh Knight – the Knight of Earth – and can they be trusted to serve and be an ally to King Harry James Potter, Arch-Knight and Lord of the Elements?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Camelot life brings big changes for Harry; Mother and Son spend some long lost time together and Sirius and Remus have a few choice words for the Order, but why does Tyler seem so distracted? Also, as their summer begins to disappear, Harry makes a shocking discovery and meets a new ally in Camelot…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The identity of the last Knight will remain a secret for now, but, to help me decide who it should be, please check out the poll on my profile page; the winning vote will be revealed during the TWT;**

**ALSO: given the twist in the story, what would you say to a Lily/Severus relationship for the story?**


	25. Hail Harry Potter, King of Camelot

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 24:**

**Twilliams1797: I appreciate your opinion on the matter and, thanks to you and others like you, I have an idea;**

**DarkHeart81: Maybe, but you need to remember that, in fanfiction, anything is possible;**

**DJ Rodriguez: We may never know…or will we?**

**Mariann's: I am NOT using all the names of the Greek Gods; I just thought of names tied to the elements and they came up as ones making the most sense; why has everyone made that assumption?**

**Jediprankster: I used the names for the Lords that seemed most appropriate; also, thanks for your comment on a LL/SS relationship; it's given me an idea for the story; also, you mustn't forget that, as good as this story is, it is part of a challenge and, according to the rules, Harry MUST still be in the Tournament;**

**Zamia: Glad someone agrees with the reason I'd set them up;**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: Don't worry about it Sir Andrew; Harry did originally believe that Lily was Muggleborn until Sebastian revealed more;**

**Paladeus: The number of Knights is five, with Voldemort being six: Harry, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Lily; Tom is six and the seventh Knight is a mystery: where did you get seven with Voldemort being eight from?**

**Voldemort is Dead: Maybe he won't learn, but with all the new powers and allies Harry will have, I can predict fun and games galore;**

**Ravenfur: I'm glad you're enjoying the story, but I'm also glad you offer your opinion on my little poll;**

**MariusDarkwolf: I've said this before and I'll say it again: I didn't intend them all to be named after the Greek Gods; I used the names that I thought would be appropriate;**

**FallenAngelMiarra: Harry's Knighthood is the Holy Knight of THUNDER, but you're right, it does seem to fit him more; don't worry about the reactions; it's – as far as I'm aware – a mother thing; they'll defend their children no matter what and you have to remember what people say about Lily; she has one hell of a temper;**

**StormyFireDragon: Thanks for pointing that out Storm; my system's dictionary recognised it as the other way around and I'm not going to argue; kind of a drag when you write in one language and people say it's written another way; **

**Cateagle: I do have some plans for the TWT and Harry's plans for the tournament will centre around these new powers of his; I mean, can you see a dragon challenging the King of Camelot and Excalibur?**

**Aealket: I'll explain more about the Knight of Sky soon; I'm glad you think along the same lines I do for the poll;**

**Loki Palmer: As it turned out, both translations are in fact the same; how weird is that? **

**KashikoiNekoHu: Of course he's going to try something big, probably involving the TWT; also, nice turn around on the poll and, to answer it, I voted Slytherin;**

**Cornholio4: I'm sorry that it does do that, but I prefer to make my victims suffer before I take them down; to do it too quickly just kind of stops the fun of the story;**

**Harryhermionealways: Yes they will; and you have to remember that the MOB isn't the only one who heard the Howler;**

**Now, with regards to my little poll, after many different reactions, I have decided that there WILL be a Lily/Severus pairing EVENTUALLY; Its going to take time for her to forgive him officially for everything he did to Harry and so, with the Chronicles continuing, there will be signs of the two being friends again and then, in time, maybe more, but it IS going to be a pairing;**

"_So," Hermione asked, "How does it feel to be King?"_

"_Right now," Harry replied, returning the kiss with the same passion and acceptance that he had done the first time, all those months ago, "It feels pretty good."_

Chapter 25: Hail Harry Potter, King of Camelot

On their first official morning in the magical land that they now called their realm, Harry and Hermione awoke, as always, in each other's arms, the Holy Knight of Thunder – though he now started to refer to himself as simply the Arch-Knight – smiling proudly as he looked at his betrothed, his Knight, his Queen, before he sat upright and, running a hand over a rather tender spot on his shoulder, examined his surroundings.

He and Hermione were lying in a four-poster bed with semi-transparent silver curtains, the posts of the bed made from gilded marble, a golden serpent or dragon winding around the posts; their room was as majestic as it was fit for royalty. A large bay window led out onto a balcony that overlooked the flowery fields of Camelot, the morning sounds of the town below them making Harry feel that sense of home, though that may have also had something to do with the fact he now had his Mother as well as his external family. When walking back into the room, Harry would find himself standing next to a large marble bookcase that seemed to actually pull itself outwards, allowing Harry access to a private armoury and storage case, a walk-in wardrobe was placed on the other side of the room and, leading out of the door, the main bedchamber then descended down up into the apex of the tower where Harry's room was situated, the inhabitant of the room finding himself in a large, grandly-designed bathroom with not only a bath for relaxing, but a second tub that was about a ¾ the size of an Olympic swimming pool.

Going downstairs, Harry would find himself in a private study and main meeting room before the door out of there found him in the halls of Camelot, the other rooms for his friends all situated around his, similar to a rotunda that would match the Knights of the Round Table.

For now though, back in the bedroom, Harry smiled once more, bent down and placed a soft and gentle kiss on the lips of his Hermione, the Holy Knight of Ocean fully awake as she looked into the silver and emerald eyes of her lover, her voice still sleepy as she whispered, "Good morning…my King."

"Good morning my Queen," Harry replied, moving out of bed and, stepping into the walk-in wardrobe, his voice carried out to her as he asked, "What are your plans for today?"

"Well," Hermione replied, "I was thinking breakfast with my betrothed, before we went to explore our new realm in more detail followed by a little training with Seba and the Order; how about you?"

Emerging from the wardrobe, Harry heaved a sigh, his body now dressed in a well-fitting red and gold shirt that bore the Crest of Camelot, his lower body covered by a soft, almost silk-like pair of dark green trousers, the suit covered by a silver robe that bore Harry's personal phoenix crest, the eyes of the King looking sadly at Hermione.

"Sorry love," he sighed, "Before we went to bed last night, Merlin wanted me to meet with him and the Lords in the throne room: they want to talk more about where my powers go from here and how I can unlock the potential that Ragnok told us about last year."

"So it's a no to breakfast?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry sat down on their bed, the young King now pulling on a pair of black leather boots that he had found, a bolt of lightning along the edge of the boots as he tried to avoid her eyes. As if she had seen this in him, Hermione crawled across their bed and wrapped her arms around her betrothed's shoulders, placing a soft kiss on Harry's neck as she continued, "I'm sorry Sparky; I didn't mean to sound selfish there. I should have understood that, now that you're a King, you'll have duties to attend to."

Her disappointment had Harry suddenly dropping his second boot, before he grabbed Hermione's hand, rounded himself and placed his lips against hers, his eyes closed as he savoured the moment; when they parted, Harry and Hermione rested their heads against one another, the Arch-Knight finally responding to her as he told her, "I may be a King now Hermione, but you are my Queen: I'm sorry that I have to do this, but you have my word that I will make it up to you. Merlin explained that the meeting wouldn't take longer than an hour at the most, so how about we skip breakfast and have lunch with the family? Then afterwards, you and I can go and check out these stables we noticed and we can go riding: just the two of us?"

"Promise?" asked Hermione, smiling at the thought of riding with her White Knight.

"A King never lies to his people," Harry reminded her, "Especially those who mean more than his own throne and crown to him. Hermione," he placed another kiss on her forehead before he turned and, retrieving his boot, continued getting ready as he continued, "You and your happiness are worth more to me than all the gold in my possession _and_ the crown that I possess combined. I would give up my throne, crown, hell, even my Knighthood, if it meant I could stay at your side for the rest of my life. Don't you ever forget that Kitten, because I will always mean it."

His dressing complete, Harry stood up and turned to her, Hermione smiling almost playfully as she asked, "Lose something…my King?"

Scratching his head rather thoughtfully, Harry answered, "Yeah; the crown that Merlin gave me after your kiss yesterday: I could have sworn I put it on the side-table before I went to sleep: where oh where could it be?"

With another smile, Hermione withdrew a circlet of gold that was as big as two of Harry's fingers, the golden design inlaid with a mix of blood rubies and emeralds, a single bolt of lightning adorning the front of the crown, the design of the bolt made from diamonds. Seeing the playful look in Hermione's eyes, Harry dropped to one knee and, just like he had done the night before, he bowed his head, watching as Hermione finally stood up, her slim body making Harry feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

Hermione, seeing her boyfriend kneeling before her, gave a light-hearted giggle as she placed the crown upon his head, the diamond-encrusted bolt shining in the morning light as she commanded, "Arise Harry James Potter, King of Camelot."

_**HPHG**_

Neville Longbottom-Potter was also, at that moment, feeling pretty lucky himself; here he was, waking up in a bed in a realm that most of magic believed not to exist anymore, with his soul-bonded and fellow Holy Knight in his arms, the warm environment of Camelot making them feel safe and secure. When Harry had been crowned the previous night, Neville had shown only pride and a true sense of loyalty to his Lord, friend, Knight ally and brother in blood; he owed Harry so much for everything that he had failed to do in their earlier years. Learning that he and the new King of Camelot had once been as close as brothers and then having Harry entrust his family, his secrets and his future to the young Longbottom had shown Neville a new side to the once-known Boy-Who-Lived.

Looking to Luna's sleeping form, Neville heaved a sigh as he recalled how the two of them had met: it had been the day that Harry and the now-aptly-named Dead Man Walking had flown a car to Hogwarts. Neville had been looking up and down the compartment for his friends when he'd come across two Ravenclaws known as Anthony Goldstein and Marietta Edgecombe harassing a then unknown first-year; when they'd seen Neville approach, the two had laughed, but stopped when, though he'd never told Harry, Hermione had appeared and told them to leave unless they wanted to see what those who fought back looked like.

Learning her name was Luna, Neville had gone to thank Hermione, but she seemed preoccupied, which was the reason that she probably hadn't remembered Luna when they'd met at the end of second year. Inviting her into a free compartment, Neville had gotten into several deep conversations with her and then gave her his word, almost like Harry to Hermione that she would have a friend in him and that he wouldn't allow her to be bullied any longer.

It was on that day that the lion within the so-called Squib Longbottom had finally begun to rear its head and, when Neville had heard the conviction in Harry's voice on the day that he had announced himself as Hermione's girlfriend, it was like the lion cub had become the secondary Alpha to the Pride with Harry being the Alpha Male himself.

Even then, as he thought about how he had matured, Neville still recalled what had happened in near-perfect detail:

_Flashback_

_Gryffindor Tower was alive and well with the recovery of its House ghost, one of its first-years and its resident bookworm and one half of the pride of Gryffindor._

_So, when Harry walked into the tower, his eyes scanning the room like a man on a mission, the first to approach him was Neville, who asked, "Harry, how's Hermione doing?"_

_"She's doing a lot better Neville," Harry replied, a warm smile on his face as he added, "In fact, now that she has someone to love her for being her, she's like a whole new Hermione."_

_"Yeah," Neville agreed, before he caught Harry's knowing look, the penny dropping as he asked, "What? You and her?"_

_"Yep," Harry smiled, "And I don't care what anybody else thinks: I love her and will always stand with her; now, have you seen Oliver anywhere?"_

_"Quidditch field," Neville replied, before he watched with shock as Harry seemed to stride past him, making his way to the boys' dormitory; almost a few seconds later, the portrait hole swung open again and Ron walked in, looking around the room with a mix of curiosity and someone who was searching for something specific._

"_Oi Longbottom," Ron called out to him, "Seen Harry?"_

"_Dorm," Neville replied, "Hermione's recovered."_

"_That's good news," Ron laughed, Neville cringing at the look of _sudden_ joy in his eyes; he had never said anything to Harry, but he'd always _hated_ Ron and his need to be in the spotlight. Well, it was time to see just how that loyalty went and if the Weasley really did deserve a place at Harry's side as he had always boasted._

"_Yeah," Neville agreed, "And it gets better: Harry and Hermione are now boyfriend and girlfriend; I've never seen Harry look so happy, but then again, when you think of who it took to get petrified before somebody actually _did_ something, it's no surprise."_

"_What the devil are you on about?" asked Ron, "You got to be kidding; Harry and…_that!_ She's not good enough to be with the Boy-Who-Lived; oh," he suddenly laughed, "I get it; yeah, nice one Harry."_

_Then, Ron walked off towards the Gryffindor Dormitory, Neville waiting a few moments in which he had himself asked if it was true by Dean and Seamus, before all three of them walked off in the direction of the dorm, Neville cringing again as he heard Weasley's voice._

_"Harry mate," he seemed to laugh as if he had just been told a funny joke. "Neville just said that you and Hermione were…" he gave a hollow laugh before he asked, "That you were…boyfriend and girlfriend?"_

_"Yes," Harry replied, before holding up his notes, "And now I'm going to give her these before we make plans for the summer together."_

_The door to the dorm opened and Harry watched as Neville, Dean and Seamus all walked in, the Irish half-blood congratulating Harry while the dark-skinned lion simply gave Harry a friendly nod of his head, obviously recognising the fact that Harry's love for Hermione was genuine: nobody would be stupid enough to question otherwise, would they?_

_Obviously, Dean forgot that they shared a dorm with Ronald Weasley, the human incarnation of the term open mouth, insert foot._

_As Harry reached the door, Ron scoffed as he whispered, "Good of Harry to take pity on her."_

_"What?" asked Harry, stopping dead, Dean and Seamus sharing a look as if recognising the signs of an approaching blow-out: in their two years with Harry, they had only seen his reactions a few times, but, as Ron appeared to be a lot denser than he first appeared, he didn't see what they did. As they had discovered, there were two stages to Harry's anger: when he was annoyed with someone, Harry would yell and scream until he eventually knew the limit and went somewhere to cool off: that was like a Force 3 tornado; however, with the second stage, it was a Force 12 earthquake and it all began with Harry standing tense and straight, his hands at his side, his lips pursed and almost bloodless, his eyes screaming murder before, with but one more word, the snake would strike and the lion would rip a whole new world of trouble into its victim._

_"Well," Ron laughed, ignoring the warning signs from his fellow Gryffindors, "She's not exactly good-looking is she? More of a practice girlfriend if you…"_

_His next words were cut off by a move that seemed to come out of nowhere, Harry's fist colliding with the side of Ron's jaw in a motion that was faster than lightning: then the Hurricane, as the other boys described Harry's 2nd stage, struck the boys dormitory. Harry leapt on top of Ron, fists flying and Harry tearing into the Weasley boy as if he cared about nothing more._

_Thinking quickly, Neville cast the first spell that came to mind, "_Petrificus Totalus!_"_

_The effect was instantaneous: Harry was frozen in place, his arms and legs bound to his side, his body now dropping off Ron's, exposing a clearly bleeding Weasley's face, his jaw slightly distended and his nose looking even more crooked than Dumbledore and Snape combined._

_"Harry," Neville remarked, "I'm going to release you, but you can't kill him: he is an idiot, I won't defend him from that, but to strike out like that is just wrong. We think you and Hermione make a good couple and encourage you to spend as much time as you need to together; other than that, there nobody else's opinion that matters."_

_When Harry's eyes, which were seemingly alive with energy and magic, finally softened, Neville released the young Gryffindor, before handing him the notes he'd dropped and, with no real remorse, then stepped over the groaning Weasley, before he held out his hand, "If this git can't accept you, then allow me to take his place in the Gryffindor Trio: I'll make sure that no-one abuses your Hermione and I'll keep your anger in check."_

_"Thanks Neville," sighed Harry, gathering up the last of his notes before he shook the boy's hand, "But why?"_

_"Because," Neville answered, "In our past, there has always been a Potter and a Longbottom working together and I'm not going to betray that brotherhood. Now, why don't you get yourself back to Hermione and we'll take care of the garbage?"_

_End Flashback_

'Harry was a wild animal unleashed on that day,' Neville thought, watching as Luna stirred in her sleep, 'He was still a boy and now he's more of a man than most of the men in Hogwarts; I'm glad I chose to stay at his side.'

As he clambered out of bed to get ready, Neville thought about a saying he'd heard when he was younger: it was better to be at the devil's right hand than in his path.

Harry was no devil, but he was a raging volcano that threatened to erupt without warning; power like that was not something you wanted to stand in the way of.

As he emerged from his own wardrobe, dressed in a dark-red suit and white trousers, a golden cloak bearing the Holy Knights' Phoenix Crest over the suit, Neville smiled to himself before he walked across the room and, reaching into the storage case, produced a sword that Harry had given him the previous year; it had been after he'd given Hermione the sword known as Nimueh.

Unsheathing the sword, Neville stared at the detail and craftsmanship involved in the blade: the hilt was gold in design with a jade emerald in the pommel, the cross-guard bearing an image of a lion and dragon crossing one another, but it was the blade itself that impressed Neville. The blade was iridescent red and burnished with the same magic as Nimueh, though Harry, possibly out of some sense of irony now that Neville thought about it, had named the blade with the title of one like Harry, one of Camelot: Lancelot.

'Now,' thought Neville, 'If I remember my history, Lancelot had Guinevere and Harry sees Hermione as Guinevere, so I'd better not get any ideas of making history repeat itself.'

"Why would you?"

Neville looked up, smiling as he saw Luna now awake, his soul-bonded likely hearing his thoughts through their bond; keeping his smile on his face, Neville sheathed Lancelot and returned to his bed, placing a light kiss on Luna's lips as he answered her, "I'd never even think of trying to divide Harry and Hermione…not when I have you."

"I'm glad," replied the Knight of Sky, "Because before Harry got his hands on you, you'd have to deal with the fury of the skies over your head."

"Believe me Luna," Neville replied, placing another kiss on Luna's lips as he held her in his embrace, "I would sooner impale myself with Lancelot _and_ Excalibur than abandon you or disappoint my brother in blood."

Luna was just content to snuggle against Neville's chest, the Knight of Fire recalling one last conversation that Harry had spoken of when he'd Knighted Luna:

_Flashback_

_"Is…is she…"_

_"She is," answered Harry, "Once again, it seems that destiny has a sense of humour and history repeats itself."_

_"How?" asked Hermione._

_"Because," Harry explained, "Like another pair we know, Luna and Neville now match one another; he is the Holy Knight of Fire and she, Luna Lovegood, on this day, has become the newest member of the Order: the Holy Knight of Sky: just like Godric and Rowena."_

_End Flashback_

'The brave and the bold,' Neville thought, 'And I intend to prove myself worthy of that little repeat in history.'

_**HPHG**_

Lily Potter felt only contention in her heart when she heard the warm laughter coming from the hallway beyond her room, the strong sound of boots on stone telling her that Harry was obviously making his way down to the throne room for his meeting with the Lords and Merlin. However, as she listened, Lily suddenly stepped back when she heard a knock on her door; opening it, the newly named Knight of Light found her son standing there, looking every inch a King, Hermione on his arm.

"Morning Mum," Harry smiled, tucking a stray strand of his black hair behind his ears as he spoke, "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Hermione while I meet with the Lords?"

"I don't see why not," Lily agreed, "Sirius and Remus should be up any minute now, so why don't we have breakfast and then Harry can meet up with us after the meeting?"

"Sounds like a plan," Harry nodded, before Lily smiled when the two shared a warm kiss, Harry now releasing the arm of his beloved into the care of his Mother, before he turned on his heel and began to walk down through the halls of Camelot towards his meeting.

Had he looked back, he would have seen Lily smile at Hermione before she stepped aside and suggested, "Why don't you come in Hermione? I've been wanting to speak to you about something anyway."

_**HPHG**_

Moving through the halls of Camelot, Harry memorised the route from the Tower Chambers to the throne room, his poise and stance indicating the feeling of nerves combined with the strength that he knew he had to hold as a King. Every now and again, Harry came across guards within the castle, easily recognised thanks to their white uniforms and red Holy Knight Crests, each of them bearing a halberd, war-scythe or glaive in their hands, indicating their rank and station in the castle. The guards of the King, who would wait outside the throne room or the entrances to the castle, would bear the halberds; the defenders to the more private areas, such as the King's private wing and, as Harry had learned, treasury and weapons vault, would bear the war-scythe while the general guards would carry a glaive or sword, each of them giving Harry a salute as he walked past them.

Reaching the throne room, Harry saluted the two guards outside and stepped into the throne room of Camelot, his face now showing an air of surprise when he saw the Lords and Ladies of Nature all waiting for him, all seven of them sat on corresponding chairs in a circular formation, Harry's own throne at the head of the circle.

Seeing him approach, Merlin rose to his feet and bowed his head, "Your Majesty, King Harry, there you are: did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you Merlin," Harry replied, a part of him wondering if this was similar to how Merlin treated Arthur back in the times of the original Camelot and the Knights founding. "I apologise for my lateness to the meeting: matters arose concerning my dear Queen."

"Is Lady Hermione unwell?" asked Artemis, her own look now falling on the King as Harry smiled at her.

"No," he answered, "I just had to give her a rather romantic reminder that there was nothing more important to me in this world or that of my own than her love. I hope that all here remember that fact as well, won't you my Lords and Ladies of the Elemental Order?"

"Yes your Majesty," they all replied, Harry now taking his own throne, Excalibur once again tying itself to the side of his throne, the king sitting with one knee curled over the other, his fingers linked before him in a pose of regal strength and comfort, the eyes of the King on each of the Lords.

"Now," Harry asked, "You said that this meeting was for the sake of my potential and station as Arch-Knight, so what exactly does that mean?"

It was Zeus who spoke first this time, "As you already know, Your Majesty, you were born to be one of my descendants, a Holy Knight of Thunder; however, when we looked at your lineage and realised just who you were, we paid a visit to your world and watched you from afar. Two of Artemis' blood-kin, the centaurs, kept a watch on the activities and reported directly to her concerning anything surrounding your destiny."

"These centaurs?" Harry laughed, "They wouldn't be called Bane and Firenze would they?"

"Yes they would," Artemis answered, her soft voice reminding Harry of an older Luna as she spoke, "They told us of when and how you used your power, what you did to protect those nearest and dearest to you and they also told us of how your power became stronger through the Ritual of Release."

"That being said," Merlin picked up, "I must ask you now, my King: when you performed the Ritual of Release and met the souls of Godric and I in that darker world, did you do so of your own will or was the Ritual mentioned to you?"

"Not so much mentioned," Harry replied, his linked fingers now resting against his knees as he spoke, "More indicated: there was a notation and full explanation of the Ritual inside the Potter Family Codex, no doubt from my Grandfather or one of my ancestors. I told Hermione of the risks involved and how it would help us tame our elements and, since then, I have not gone one single day where I have regretted my decision to perform the ritual. Now, Merlin, I have a question for you!"

"Ask away Your Majesty," Merlin replied, watching Harry carefully, his ancient, magical gaze making Harry feel more like the child wizard he was than the King that he was.

"The Ritual of Release allowed me an easier time accessing and using the elements," Harry explained, "But my power has mainly been focused around the element of Thunder; in fact, the only time I had to use the elements as a whole was when I saved my Hermione from a danger that she would not have been able to come back from."

"Yes," Minerva remarked calmly, her voice as soft as a summer's breeze, yet holding the same magical tinge to it that all the Lords possessed, "I remember the reaction from Zeus that day: your two friends, Bane and Firenze, told us of the magical, elemental spike and we knew that the time was close. If I may be so bold, my King, would you allow us to visualise that memory, or rather, the point where you used the elements as a whole?"

"I will," Harry replied, before he rose from his throne, stepped into the centre of the circle and, looking to the Lords, nodded once; to his surprise, it was Artemis who performed the rite. Reaching out, the Lady of Darkness seemed to juggle her fingers like she was manipulating a puppet on her strings, Harry's mind suddenly going back to that day. At the same time, Artemis' dark eyes began to glow and, as the memory intensified, Harry suddenly gasped as the room around them changed to show the _exact_ events of that day, Harry comparing the experience to what had happened in Tom Riddle's diary.

_Flashback_

_"Malfoy," Harry growled, "Wrong question!"_

_Excalibur's blade began to crackle and spark, Harry's silver eye now glowing with the full power of the elements at his command as he pushed his sword outwards, the blade unleashing a torrent of white lightning that struck Malfoy, Harry's voice cutting into him. "That's for calling her a Mudblood!"_

_He then turned his lightning on Ron, the red-headed asshole screaming as the full power of the storm coursed through him, "That's for doing what I sincerely hope you weren't trying to do."_

_Lowering Excalibur, Harry then sheathed his sword, placed his hands together, a torrent of ice, snow, fire and lightning all coming together as he looked to the two guilty party, his voice now like thunder as he boomed, "And this is for trying to think that you could harm my Hermione and get away with it!"_

_Thrusting his hands out, Harry watched as the four elemental powers coalesced and struck the two still hanging wizards, Malfoy suddenly becoming a mix of ice and fire that formed hard crystal, sealing him in place while Ron was less lucky; the snow and rain from Harry's summoned storm enveloped him before the lightning appeared to burnish the collection of elements, freezing him in place, both of them looking more like Christmas Tree decorations than proud wizards._

_End Flashback_

The images around them suddenly began to recede, Harry feeling thankful for Artemis not seeing anything more than she needed to; as the throne room became its normal self, Harry went to sit down, but stopped when Zeus told him, "Hold on one moment Your Majesty; we're not done yet."

"Oh?" asked Harry, "Was there another time? I only know of that one."

"There was one more," explained Minerva, "Involving the end of your year; it was a brief moment, but still displayed the power on hand and, once you see it, you will understand just what we mean by your full potential."

Once again, Harry found Artemis manipulating the darkness of his memories and his mind, the room once again changing into the second occasion that the Lords spoke of.

_Flashback_

_Ron was about to argue when Dobby took him away, Harry now rounding on the spot to face the threat of the werewolf that was now standing there before both he and Hermione. There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Remus the wolf must have stood some 7 or 8ft in height, his fur-lined body now a mass of muscle and feral appendages that threatened the safety and life of the beings before the dark beast; yet, as he stood there, Harry looked to the skies and an idea came back to him._

_"It's the moon," he whispered, watching as the wolf raised one of its giant paws; however, before it got close, Harry gasped as a wave of ice rose from the ground, sealing the beast in place; without turning his head, Harry whispered, "Thank you Hermione."_

_Holding Excalibur to the skies, Harry poured all of his power into his summoning, the raw magic of the Holy Knights now coursing through both blade and bearer as Harry seemed to glow, his silvery eye shining brightly, Excalibur's blade emitting a wave of white magical light that shot straight into the sky, an ominous rumble of thunder sounding from overhead._

_"Come on," Harry whispered, his voice showing plea, "It has to work; this time it has to work: please!"_

_His prayers…went answered; moments after the light had hit the skies, a large series of thunderclouds began to cross the skies, thunder, lightning, hail and rain all drowning Hogwarts and the area around them in what would later be described by Muggles as the most violent storm in decades._

_As the moon was completely blocked out by the thunderstorm summoned by the Holy Knight, Harry lowered Excalibur, wiped his brow and looked to Remus, his face now twisted into a smile as he saw his theory was proven right._

_Remus Lupin, now human, lay on the ground before them, covered only by a shabby black robe and a cloak, the ice that Hermione had sealed him in now being melted by the torrential storm._

_End Flashback_

"You manipulated the skies," explained Minerva as the images fell, Harry now returning to his throne as he listened to her, "Not to mention the curse of the darkness that all werewolves suffer; however, when you summoned the storm, you had no idea of the power that you would call, hence the violence of the storm."

"I think I understand," Harry nodded, "When I saw him, Remus Lupin, who is here with us in Camelot, I just seemed to know what was meant to happen and what I was meant to do. All I really remember doing is summoning the storm and then, when I was done, I saw Remus was human again, but, Lady Minerva, are you saying that it was darkness I manipulated and not the storm?"

"To summon a storm alone," explained Zeus, "Takes strength of will and a focused mind: you had both when you summoned that storm, but without limiting your power, you would have left Scotland in a hurricane that would still be going on now. This is what we mean by your true potential: in the wizarding world, such a power is known as a Stormcaller or Thunder Mage, but you, as a Holy Knight, as the Arch-Knight, possess that power inside you."

"As for your question," Artemis continued, "My answer is yes: you manipulated the darkness through your will to block out the moon. Now, of course I don't want you to try it, but if my guess is correct, then you, Harry Potter, Arch-Knight and King of Camelot, may possess the magical prowess and strength to _cure_ Remus Lupin of his curse, turning it into a gift and…"

"And you think I'm _not_ going to try it?" asked Harry, suddenly springing to his feet in shock and rage, "Lady Artemis, Remus is my best friend and practically my Father figure, as is Sirius, as is Hermione's Father Dan; if there was _any _chance, no matter the risk, then of course I'd want to help him. What do you think you're trying to say in telling me I can't?"

"Nothing," answered Artemis, "Except this: if you don't tame your powers, all seven of the elements that you can now command as Arch-Knight, and you _do_ try to cure Remus Lupin…or _any_ werewolf of their curse; well, then you…you would die."

Harry only had one thought-spoken reaction to that little point;

'Shit.'

_**HPHG**_

After the meeting with the Lords, Harry made his way back to the towers, his mind still lost in what Artemis had said about him trying to cure Remus: without taming his powers, it could kill him. To relinquish one life of its curse, Harry would pay his own in penance if he didn't learn the full extent of his power; it was a law of magic that Merlin explained was as old as time, but, as Arch-Knight, Harry _would_ have the power to do it, but only when he had fully grasped the power of the seven elements: Earth, Sky, Fire, Ocean, Light, Darkness and Storm.

He wasn't even fully aware of his power over Storm yet, so would it be some time before he was able to offer Remus the cure; to learn the full power, demonstrate he could use it and then officially tame it could take months, if not _years_.

As he contemplated the downside to his training, Harry overheard voices speaking from a room to his left, followed by sounds of laughter and Hermione who asked, "So Harry was always powerful?"

"He was," Lily's voice answered, Harry peering round the open door to see a banquet hall, though without the banquet, all his friends and family gathered around a table where one chair was empty; Harry figured that was where he would sit in meals. Even then, he was the head of the household and it was something that he wasn't so much going to take advantage of. No, it was more of a case that he would guide, lead, rule and, when it was necessary, ask for advice: that was how a proper King did his job.

Keeping to the door, Harry listened as Sirius took up the conversation, "Know what I remember about his magic? The Strawberry incident."

"You still remember that?" asked Lily incredulously, a loud barking laugh telling Harry that it was something of a funny nature; now he understood what Professor McGonagall had meant when she'd said that an Animagus would adopt the traits of their form.

"What happened?" asked Hermione, Harry hearing a sound like chairs scraping as if they were shuffling closer.

Deciding that this was a cue to go for it, Harry stepped inside, his voice carrying as he asked, "What did happen Mum? Not even _I _remember the Strawberry incident."

"Really?" asked Lily, "I'm sure it was in the book that Hagrid gave you…unless…damn him!"

"Lily," Sirius warned her, "I think you should tell him: might be nice for Harry to have some childhood memories."

"All right," Lily replied, before she looked to Harry as she added, "But if you get embarrassed, it's _his_ fault."

"Why?" asked Harry, now moving to the chair at the head of the table.

"You had just turned one year old," Lily explained, "And your dad had brought home a cake with strawberries on it; well, being the big kid, he gave one to you and when you started crying, there was this magical rush and, when I came to check on you, all I heard was James yelling _Lily, duck and cover._ Opening the door, I found you with a _monster_ of a strawberry in your hands and you were laughing joyfully; then, when you went to bite it, there was this loud bang and the whole thing went all over the kitchen."

"What did James do?" asked Remus, "I don't ever remember him telling us about that."

"He didn't tell you," Sirius explained, "Because it was during the time that I was their Secret Keeper: I'd gone to wish our pup a happy birthday, knocked and gave the magical checks so that you knew it was me, opened the door and what do I find? I find a life-like statue of Prongs covered _head-to-foot_ in strawberry gunk, Harry and Lily both laughing at him."

Everyone burst out laughing at that thought, Harry now wiping a tear from his eye as he looked to his Mother before he asked, "What had happened? Accidental magic?"

"Not exactly," Lily explained, "Your dad had decided to play a birthday prank on you and put an Inflation Jinx on the strawberry; however, when he'd yelled for me to get down, the magic I'd felt was you. Somehow, you'd created a shield around you and I and all the gunk that had meant to cover you like a painting was instead given to your Dad. I was laughing for hours when we were done and James always said he'd get his little Prongslet back for what you'd done."

"So why wouldn't I remember it?" asked Harry, before the answer seemed to come as quickly as the question, "Dumbledore!"

"That's my guess," Lily agreed, "In wanting you weak and malleable, he must have stripped you of your childhood memories so that, when you think of us, all you'd think of was our deaths."

"But once again," Harry remarked, "He was wrong: I have a vague memory of those times but you Mum," he suddenly started laughing as he got the image in his head, "You've put an image in my head that gives a whole new meaning to the term Sweet Dreams."

Sirius, Remus and Neville all laughed at the image while Harry, gently tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, felt his fingers run over his crown; a soft smile crossed his face as he thought on one thing that now, thanks to Camelot and the Knights, would never change:

Harry James Potter, King of Camelot, would always have his family…in mind, body and soul…

**Chapter 25 and Harry seems to have started down the path towards the Knight and King that he is, but will he be able to tame the elements enough to offer Remus his cure?**

**Also, with memories of his childhood coming back, can Harry find the innocence that he seemed to have lost whenever he grew angry?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Sirius and Remus have a few choice words for the Order, but why does Tyler seem so distracted? Also, as their summer begins to disappear, Harry meets a new ally in Camelot…**

**Please Read and Review…**


	26. Wind Beneath My Wings

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 25:**

**First off, I'd like to offer a special thanks to TxA-GunFighter for reviewing EVERY chapter since Ch 1 ever since they started reading the story;**

**And, on another plus, the Silver Chapter Content (25 chapters) has awarded me with 600 + reviews for the story; a big thank you to everyone;**

**Gelasia-kitty: thanks, I'll remember that;**

**Jediprankster: I appreciate the opinion and, in response, all I can say is that it won't be too fast approaching; mending relationships take time, but I'll do my best with what I can;**

**StormyFireDragon: How true Storm; but things are only going to get tougher for both sides from here on out; btw, thanks for the response to your latest chapter; it's given me some good ideas for future stories;**

**Larka Rinna Luna: I only normally reply to reviewers who make a point; but, here you are with your recognition; I do appreciate everyone who reviews my stories, especially when they're good reviews and not flames or criticism;**

**SeaBreeze2Ga: I haven't really decided on that part yet; naturally, people like Amelia and his allies will know, but beyond that…I haven't decided;**

**Cateagle: I just like putting the odd cute moment in every now and again, which probably explains this chapter;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Perhaps, but when you have so much power like they do and have to deal with the things they do, you don't exactly stay a kid for long, do you? And remember that Hermione is actually going to be fifteen in September;**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: I thank you for that, though I don't know whether to be insulted – comparing me to Lockhart – or impressed;**

**Loki Palmer: You know what? I may use that quote a little later, perhaps for some event with the TWT;**

**Harryhermionealways: mending a relationship takes time, but it will be done;**

**Aealket: Maybe not all the Order, but there will be some bashing involved;**

_Sirius, Remus and Neville all laughed at the image while Harry, gently tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, felt his fingers run over his crown; a soft smile crossed his face as he thought on one thing that now, thanks to Camelot and the Knights, would never change:_

_Harry James Potter, King of Camelot, would always have his family…in mind, body and soul…_

Chapter 26: Wind Beneath My Wings

After their talk, which also included a light dinner for the Knights and their allies, Harry returned to his room to change out of his regalia and into some more comfortable robes, before he met back up with Hermione and, looking to his friends, gave a smile as he explained, "If you'll excuse me everyone; there's a certain Princess of mine who I've been neglecting as of late and I promised her a little trip."

"Have fun you two," Lily smiled, watching as Hermione took Harry's hand and left the meeting hall, Dan, Emma, Neville, Luna, Sirius and Remus leaving moments later, which just left Lily with the Order, the eyes of the Holy Knight of Light watching Sebastian warily before she asked, "How's he been?"

"He's growing up Lady Lily," answered Sebastian, his formality returning around the Knight, "Seeing you has brought out the innocent child I once saw, but he is growing up with every day."

"And are you keeping your word to him?" asked Lily, "Are you protecting him?"

"We are," Elora replied, her own eyes watching her former Lady, "Though there was one occasion when we thought we had failed."

"When was…" Lily began, but her words were cut off when, to the surprise of the Order, Tyler Kingston rose from his seat, inclined his head to the Knight of Light and left the room, Sebastian shaking his head sadly as Lily finished, "…that and what's wrong with Tyler?"

"The event is hardest on him," explained Sebastian, "It was some time ago, but Tyler still feels the guilt: he is young, barely even twenty, yet he has as strong a heart as Lord Harry."

"Why?" asked Lily, "What happened?"

"In a word," explained Dante, "Dumbledore."

Hearing the word was almost as bad for Lily as most of the wizarding world hearing the name of the Dark Lord; facing the Order, the Knight of Light seemed to become the fierce vixen that she had been known for as she commanded, "Tell me everything!"

_**HPHG**_

Tyler wandered solemnly back towards his chambers, his mind stuck on the fact that he was finally here, within the walls of Camelot, his Lord and Lady were safe and his Lord had a treasure as great as Lady Hermione back by his side. When the team had begun speaking of the event in question, however, Tyler had felt a familiar iron weight of guilt worming its way inside him combined with a sense of loss and friendship.

Most of all, Tyler couldn't help but think of the appearance-changing witch that had become his friend and been there to aid and protect Harry and Hermione when they had needed it. Being raised to become one of the Order, Tyler had never really known the emotion of love, but he had known what it felt like to be drawn to someone that you would give your life for; Harry showed enough of that.

It was her, the face-changer known as Nymphadora – though she had asked that _no-one_ use that name – Tonks who had helped him overcome the misery of the event that nearly lost them their Lord;

It was her that had helped Tyler understand the friendliness and warm emotions around their Lord;

It was her that had helped him to become more of a friend and trusted brother to their Lord rather than the obedient, loyal soldier;

And yes, the more he thought about it, the more he saw it for what it was: it was Tonks who had started to help Tyler understand the feelings of compassion and readiness;

What he needed now was someone to talk to; someone that could help him understand these feelings even more than he did now.

However, with Harry busy ruling Camelot and the others preoccupied with the tasks at hand, Tyler knew that finding that particular someone was going to be almost impossible.

Unless he talked with her family, Tyler would never be able to tell her how he…wait;

He stopped in the corridor, a small smile crossing his face as he remembered something, 'Her Family,' he thought, 'Sirius is her family; I can talk to him.'

Turning on his heel, Tyler doubled back and made his way to the chambers where Sirius and Remus were staying, his mind still focused on the ever-changing appearance of the girl that, though he couldn't understand the meaning, had captured his attention.

He only hoped that, when the time came for him to reveal how he felt for her, Tonks would understand the feelings of the young warrior more than Tyler did…

_**HPHG**_

The stables were located on the western side of the castle, their strong stone foundations and slate roofs making Harry feel like he was walking into an average house. With Hermione at his side, Harry raised his voice before he called out, "Hello: is there anyone here?"

"I'm here," a young male voice answered, Harry and Hermione now peering into the stables to see a young man in his twenties making his way towards them, the eyes of the man – a deep jade green that appeared to become grey at the edge of the iris – widening when he saw who was standing at the entrance. Dropping to one knee, the man spoke with a more formal tone, "Your Majesty, forgive my rudeness; I am honoured to meet you: how may I be of service to the King?"

"Get up," Harry commanded, though his voice was calm as he spoke, "My Queen and I require two horses for a long, private ride through the countryside and for more sociable uses."

"Of course my King," the man replied, bowing his head as he added, "If you would follow me sire."

Shrugging ruefully to Hermione, who had given Harry an almost amused grin at the young man's loyalty, the King of Camelot followed the young stable master inside, the sounds of horses whinnying making the Holy Knight of Ocean gasp as she lay her eyes upon them. Many different breeds of different ages, size and colours seemed to fill the stables, the young man who had led them inside now speaking to an older man that Harry assumed was the real master.

"Makes you feel like you're in the real olden days," Hermione reasoned, watching as the older man appeared to inspect the horses before he turned and began walking towards Harry and Hermione, "A master and an apprentice."

"Possibly," Harry agreed, watching as the elder stable master bowed at the waist, his hairline receding with age and experience, his hands thick and callused as he linked them together.

"Your Majesty," he remarked, speaking with a thick voice that rumbled like thunder, "I am informed by my squire that you require horses for riding?"

"That is correct," Harry replied, deciding that it would be better to appear as the strong King that the people were seeing him as, "Why? Is there a problem?"

"No my King," the master explained, "I was just wondering why you did not take a look at the Royal Gardens? That's where the Royal Family's personal stallions and their sires are kept."

"That's my fault actually," Harry admitted, "As you may be aware, we have only been in the realm for all of two days; I haven't really gotten used to the layout of the Kingdom yet: perhaps you could show us the stable?"

The master seemed to be taken aback by the request, before he bowed again, Harry aware of his hand gesturing to his squire, as he had called him, "It would be my honour, my King: if your Highness would allow me a moment to finish things here, I can take you straight there."

"Thank you," Harry replied, watching as the master left his side, the eyes of the King now watching the squire, who seemed even more nervous since the request had been made. Without turning to her, Harry asked Hermione, "Is it just me Kitten or do you get the strangest feeling that there's something about these Royal Stalls that the people are intimidated by?"

"I know what you mean Sparky," Hermione answered, watching as the squire went to work on one of the stalls where the less-regal horses were obviously kept, "I wonder if there's something about our new position, or rather _your_ new position that the Lords didn't tell us."

The master was returning, "I'll speak to Zeus later," Harry remarked, before the man bowed once more to him and gestured with his hand.

"If you would follow me Your Majesty," he led Harry out of the stables and round towards the main building of the castle, away from the main entrance where Harry and Hermione were both surprised when they found a cobble-stone pathway that led through a majestically-beautiful garden: it was decorated in wreaths and streams of ivy and holly, roses, daffodils and snap-dragon flowers growing all around the outer edge of the garden while the greenery of the grass seemed to be kept to perfection. In the centre of the garden was a beautiful crystal fountain that held an image of seven swords set in an almost star-like formation, the tips of the swords spewing water into the pools at the base of the fountain. Two large evergreen trees grew on either side of the garden, the ivy then crossing an archway that led out towards a single building that led out onto the fields surrounding Camelot.

"It's beautiful," Hermione whispered, before she looked to the trees and, when he followed her gaze, Harry understood why: the leaves on the trees weren't green at all, but a gorgeous, almost shimmering mix of gold and red as if the tree was in the autumn.

Pointing them out, Harry asked, "Pardon me Stable Master, but can you tell me anything about the trees?"

"Of course sire," answered the man, "Lord Gaia planted those himself; he calls them Bronzewood trees; a very magical variety that people in the human realm believed to have died out some time ago; despite their appearance, the trees never lose their leaves, which are actually used in the magical glaze that strengthens most magical suits of armour and, indeed, in wandmaking.

'_I wonder if Ollivander has heard of this,_' Harry commented to Hermione, '_If not, perhaps I'll speak to Gaia and see about getting some wood sent to him._'

'_I'm sure he'd appreciate the gift,_' Hermione agreed, following the stable master through the arch and out towards the building; two guards, both bearing glaives and – much to Harry's surprise – what appeared to be _staffs_ in their free hand, stopped the man at the entranceway.

"No-one may enter the Circle without the permission of His Majesty," one of the guards exclaimed, before his eyes fell on Harry and both he and his partner straightened up, both of them saluting, "M-my Lord: I did not see you there: forgive me."

"It's all right," Harry told them, "I asked him to bring us here; tell me, does the Circle have any Masters to look after it?"

"No my Lord," answered the guard, "The Circle is protected and seen to by the magic of Lord Gaia, the Lord of Terra; none but Your Majesty has ever entered without permission."

"Really?" asked Harry, now looking to the stable master as he asked, "Your squire, what's his name?"

"Herec, my Lord," answered the master, Harry nodding with understanding as he faced the guards.

"From now on," he explained, "This area will still be protected by Lord Gaia's magic, but I now place the one known as Herec in charge of the Circle and keeping the area in perfect condition: see to it that he's paid for his services and offer him a place in the town so that he can be close to his work."

"Yes Your Majesty," both guards and the stable master saluted at Harry's request, before the Arch-Knight stepped past them and entered the Circle; it was an amazing stone building with two large stalls and seven smaller areas that Harry supposed would be for the personal steeds of the Holy Knights. However, when he looked in one of the two, a gorgeous sight caught his eyes as standing before him was no horse, but a fully-grown, black-coated, silver-eyed _Pegasus_.

"He's beautiful," Hermione whispered, before Harry turned and, as he had guessed, he found a second, equally-gorgeous, albeit white Pegasus in Hermione's stall, the Holy Knight of Ocean petting the creature's mane fondly.

"Stallion or mare?" asked Harry.

"Mare," Hermione replied, "She called to me; Pegasi are rare, but their magic is more powerful than we've believed."

"What's her name?" asked Harry.

"She says," Hermione explained, "Her name is Freya and she has existed since the time of our third predecessor; she has sired many, but her loyalty has always remained to us and to Camelot."

Turning away from the white mare, Harry entered the stall of the dark stallion, his head lowered in respect as he hoped that the creature had no reason to attack him: they had covered unicorns in the lessons with Hagrid, but Pegasi, which were a relation to the black unicorns because of their wings, were alert creatures and ones that they were yet to cover.

Reaching out with his mind, Harry felt the mind of the stallion reaching back to him; keeping himself calm, as he felt only strength and an unusual surge of light energy, the King of Camelot spoke with his mind, '_Noble Pegasus, Winged Stallion of the Skies, I am Harry Potter, King of Camelot and I seek permission to ride you._'

'_You have it Silverbolt,_' a magical, almost musical male voice answered, the use of the word Silverbolt confusing Harry for a moment, but he kept himself calm as the voice continued, '_My name is Raiden, named by Lord Zeus himself and sired in the presence of your fifth-generation predecessor; the Lords of Nature blessed Freya and I with life eternal so that we may always be at the service of His Majesty and his Queen._'

'_So Freya came two generations after you?_'

'_She did,_' Raiden answered, '_She is the one who has held my affections since our blessing and I have helped her fulfil our duties to the King and Queen as and when we are needed._'

'_So,_' Harry decided to go straight to it, '_Now comes the important question: how do we ride you? I don't see any reins or saddle and, not to worry you, but my Queen is a bit uncomfortable with heights and flying._'

'_You must put your trust in us,_' Raiden explained, '_That will form a shield around us that will stop you from falling and allow you to enjoy our flying experience; if it is your will, Young King, I will take your Queen and you may ride Freya._'

"Harry?"

As Harry turned to Hermione, he actually gasped with a bright smile on his face as he saw her already sat on Freya's back, the eyes of the Holy Knight of Ocean seemingly shining with an excitement that Harry had not seen in a long while.

"You did it?" he asked, almost sounding incredulous as he asked, "You trusted her?"

"She called to me," Hermione explained, "As yours called to you; what's his name?"

Turning to the stallion, Harry nodded, stroked his newfound friend's muzzle, feeling only soft, velvet-like black fur under his touch, "I trust you," he whispered, before Raiden crouched down and allowed Harry to clamber onto his back, the magic that the Pegasus had spoken of seemingly fixing Harry to the back of the stallion as he looked to Hermione.

"His name is Raiden," he explained, before he nodded to the entrance of the Circle, "Let's ride!"

_**HPHG**_

The silence in the skies over Camelot was suddenly broken by two loud voices crying out in elation, Harry and Hermione moving, swerving, diving and generally gliding through the blue oceans of the air, the sunlight reflected through the feathers of Raiden and Freya's wings, the two Pegasi moving and remaining as close as possible so that their bearers were able to enjoy each others company.

'_This…this is amazing!_' Hermione gasped, watching with a sense of wonder as Harry seemed to perform several loops and spirals ahead of her, Freya following suit, giving the image of a black and white corkscrew that spun through the air. '_Harry, I'm…I'm not scared._'

"You shouldn't be," Harry replied out loud, Hermione then laughing when she saw her boyfriend's position; he was gliding on Raiden's charmed back, _upside-down_ over her head, his long black hair tickling Hermione's face as he spoke to her, "I told you once before Mione; I'll never let anything happen to you and anyone who dares to doubt me will bear witness to the power of the King of Camelot and Arch-Knight of the Elemental Order. Mind if I right myself up now?"

"I would," Hermione laughed, before Raiden swooped sideways, clearly from a mental command from Harry, the two royal Knights now side by side as they began gliding back towards the castle. Beneath them, Hermione smiled with awe and wonder when she saw the courtyards, turrets, bridge-ways and town areas of the kingdom that she ruled at her Harry's side. Moving through the skies above Camelot, Hermione felt her fears being taken not only by the magical protections of their steeds, but also by the presence, both physically and mentally, of her powerful King of a boyfriend.

"Raiden," Harry suddenly commanded, Hermione looking to him as she heard him out loud, "Can you take us to the highest possible landing area in Camelot?"

The Pegasus seemed to reply in the positive as they flew towards the circle of towers that loomed over the castle; however, as they approached, Hermione gasped when she saw it: there, right in the middle of the towers, seemingly linking them together like spokes on a wheel, was a majestically decorated ornate garden filled with different water features and providing a perfect view of the rolling countryside. It was to here that Harry directed his loyal friend, Hermione asking Freya to follow as they made their way towards the garden; just like the take-off, the touch-down was soft and almost graceful, Harry helping Hermione to dismount like the regal knight that he was, before he turned away and added, "You two can return to the stables; Hermione and I can get down from here."

"We…we can?" she asked shakily, watching as the two winged horses seemed to obey their King's request; once they were alone, Harry turned and walked over to the edge of the courtyard, his eyes on the scenery around them as he seemed to be planning some unspoken plan for what was about to happen.

As if he had made up his mind, Harry turned back to Hermione and held out his hand, the Queen of Camelot taking his hand as she looked into the mystical shine that seemed to have taken root within her boyfriend's gaze.

"Hermione," he whispered, "Put your arms around me and then…trust me."

"To do what?" asked Hermione, though she obeyed his request; as soon as her hands were firmly around his athletically-built frame, Hermione got her answer, a gasp escaping her lips as she felt the winds suddenly gather around them, Harry remaining ever-vigilant as he held onto her. Suddenly, before Hermione could say another word, the winds picked up, or rather, picked _them_ up, both Holy Knights now actually _hovering_ a few inches off the ground. Putting her head against the chest of her boyfriend, Hermione whispered, "H-Harry; p-please…"

'_Trust me Kitten,_' Harry told her mentally, '_I'll never do anything to harm you or put you in danger; wasn't that my promise before I asked you to become my girlfriend?_'

'_Y-yes,_' she answered shakily, her mind and emotions being calmed by the thought and memory of that moment, seemingly a lifetime ago, where Harry had told her that he would keep her safe. With confidence and trust in her boyfriend on her side, Hermione watched as Harry channelled the winds to lift them, the towers now disappearing as they began to float higher and higher, the avionic creatures of Camelot flying past them as Hermione admired the views and the feeling of flying in her boyfriend's arms like he was some kind of magical Superman.

'Can you read my mind?' Hermione wondered, doing her best to keep her thoughts on her boyfriend even though she knew that the answer to that question was yes. She had heard the saying once before when she was young and, lost in the moment, Hermione realised just how she felt similar to that moment. 'Do you know what it is that you do to me? I don't know who you are; just a friend from another star; here I am like a kid out of school, holding hands with a God; I'm a fool. Will you look at me? Quivering; like a little girl, shivering; you can see right through me. Can you read my mind? Can you picture the things I'm thinking of? Wondering why you are all the wonderful things that you are; you can fly; you belong in the sky; you and I can belong to each other. If you need a friend, I'm the one to fly to; if you need to be loved, here I am: read my mind.'

It was only when Hermione came back to herself that she realised the floating feeling was suddenly very damp, her eyes looking up into the gaze of her boyfriend and what she saw was both awe-inspiring and curious.

Harry was looking into the light of the sun, his face not showing sadness or loss and yet, as he seemed to hold her, he was in tears, those same tears filled with the same silvery essence that Hermione had seen once before.

"Sparky?" she asked, causing him to look at her.

"Yes," he replied softly, before leaning his head down and brushing his lips against hers, "I can; I love you Hermione."

As they touched back down in the central court, Hermione's thoughts were only on the kiss, her eyes closed as she savoured the taste of her boyfriend's lips, his power seemingly infusing with her as he held onto her.

He was the same person that he'd been, yet different and greater than ever before;

He was the wind beneath her wings;

As long as he held her, Hermione knew that she would never have to fear flying or being in danger as he would be there, her Superman, to protect her.

'_I love you too,_' Hermione replied mentally, the day's presence turning into night as they enjoyed each others presence…

**A sort of interval Ch 26 and a means for Harry to never forget what is most important to him, but with 4th year approaching, can he keep his vow to be there for Hermione?**

**Also, with the Knights returning to the real world soon, how will the wizarding world react to the return of Lily Potter and how will Hogwarts see the new King of Camelot?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Training in the elements gives Harry an insight to the events that are to come; he is forewarned about the TWT and told of Riddle's return; plus, it's back to their real lives and Harry finds that there are some demons that just won't learn to stay dead…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: Hermione's thoughts are taken from the Superman Movie starring the late, great Christopher Reeve; all copyright and ownership goes to the original owners;**


	27. Flowers and Forebodings

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

Harry/Hermione

Neville/Luna

Sebastian/Amelia

**Review Answers for Ch 26:**

**Mkeeg91: You may be hoping, but unfortunately, if you look back at Ch 1, you'll see it's a rule of the Challenge associated with the story;**

**DarkHeart81: I was just inspired and the descriptions did the rest;**

**Draehydraxis: Your wish, my command;**

**Loki Palmer: I never thought about it that way: cheers for that Loki;**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: Indeed it will, but the MOB doesn't need to know that; gods help anyone who tries to change it;**

**Zamia: Well, Sirius was the only member of the family available; sure, he could have spoken to Dan or Remus or even Harry himself, but Sirius is also the Head of House Black;**

**Aealket: You'll just have to keep reading to find out;**

**StormyFireDragon: Thanks Storm, again, it was just an inspired idea; no idea where it came from;**

**Cateagle: Trust me, unlike the events in canon GOF, things in MY version of the TWT will be more exciting and…well more;**

**Harryhermionealways: Lily is a part of the plan that the old man will never suspect in a million years;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Obviously Ron is both one of the demons and a moron; you didn't think his slave position to Harry would stop that, did you? (Rhetorical Question)**

**ALSO: For those who enjoyed this story, please go and take a look at Loki Palmer's response to the Proud Mudblood Challenge: Malak Al Mawt: Angel of Death! It is an amazing story and a nice twist to the challenge;**

_He was the wind beneath her wings;_

_As long as he held her, Hermione knew that she would never have to fear flying or being in danger as he would be there, her Superman, to protect her._

'_I love you too,' Hermione replied mentally, the day's presence turning into night as they enjoyed each others presence… _

Chapter 27: Flowers and Forebodings

Despite the heavy burden of being a King of a magical realm, Harry was surprised as to how easily he managed to divide his time between his regal position and his life as a Holy Knight, betrothed and son; with Dobby on hand, as well as a young manservant assigned by the Lords to act as a messenger between them and the King, Harry was able to spend time with his friends and family before, at a summons, he'd either answer it or send a message in response.

Other than that, Harry's personal training also continued and it was as varied as his time management between his Knighthood and his throne; for example, he could be either sword-training with Hermione, Sebastian and one of the Order, or he could be Elemental training with one of the other Knights and the Lord of said element or, just basically, he could be doing his summer tasks in preparation for fourth year Hogwarts. When he wasn't doing that, he would be meditating, learning to close his mind to all but his betrothed and advancing his mental defences in the art of Occlumency, though, as only Hermione knew, with the mindscape that Harry had crafted himself, there was no real chance of anyone getting into his head and finding what they wanted: the ever-changing sceneries and atmosphere made Harry's mind clearly defended, but also appear to be a muddle of thoughts and emotions that would result in a headache for the one attempting the alter to Occlumency, known as Legilimency.

Finally, when he wasn't learning mental or Elemental magic, Harry was being trained by Merlin himself – a part of him wondering how many of his friends back at Hogwarts would believe this – in the spell and pure wandless magical side of his powers, learning to not only cast spells without the aid of a wand, but also wordless – or in his mind as Merlin later suggested when Harry found himself having trouble – and, though it still seemed impossible, through Excalibur.

As his betrothed and his blood-brother, Hermione and Neville usually joined in with these lessons and, whether it was through all his training and actions as the King or whether it was the fact that time just seemed to fly by when he kept himself busy, Harry didn't know, but by the time three weeks had passed by, leaving ten days before they were to return to Hogwarts, the young King found himself looking forwards to his return.

As such, all four of the main band of Knights – Harry, Neville, Luna and Hermione – sagged down onto separate seating areas within the Royal Garden, Harry resting his back against the stone base of the fountain as he explained, "So much has happened and yet so much is still to come."

"Does that mean you're not looking forwards to saying goodbye Harry?" asked Luna, looking over to where the Arch-Knight was looking like any average relaxed teenager.

"Of course I'm not Luna," Harry sighed, his voice calm as he ran his free hand along the stony ground of the garden pathways, "But I know that, until I turn sixteen at least, I have to keep up appearances and make sure that Dumbledore does nothing to jeopardise my plans for Riddle becoming one of us."

"Well," Hermione reasoned, her own seating position on the edge of the fountain, her hand now lazily drifting through her boyfriend's hair as she addressed him, "On one hand, we do have something that will keep him worried in case we know he's manipulating us."

"You're talking about Mum, aren't you?" asked Harry, now looking up to the brown-haired beauty that had captured his heart, a soft smile crossing his lips as he looked to her, a part of him wondering, as it usually did, what could have been had it not been for Harry being in the Hospital Wing for those unexplained blackouts. He didn't want to think about it, because he knew that his life had changed for the better when he had announced his love for Hermione.

"Yes I am," Hermione replied, before she looked from Harry to the other Knights as she explained, "Lily already said that she'd sent Dumbledore a warning about her return and we know he won't be able to resist trying to use her to sway you back to his side. Now that's not a meaning as to suggest that we use her as bait for him; on the contrary, we give Dumbledore something to really worry about."

"Such as?" asked Harry, moving up to the edge of the fountain where he then smiled when he saw Hermione's oceanic abilities manipulating the surface of the pool into different shapes and visages.

"Well," Hermione replied, looking to Luna as she said this, "My mind seems to be lost in the peaceful nature of Camelot, so remind me someone: who was it that Professor Flitwick said was the only other witch to enter the Void from lesson one of Ad Charms?"

"Mum," Harry replied, his own eyes watching the shapes in the water as he asked, "So?"

"So," Hermione replied, "What if an _anonymous_ benefactor sent word to Professor Flitwick for a teaching assistant in Advanced Charms? Someone who is ex-Hogwarts and is the only other to…"

She didn't get to finish, though Neville and Luna did laugh when Harry tackled Hermione with a warm passionate kiss that had them fall into the water, both the King of Camelot and his Queen sharing the amusement of their friends as they surfaced before Harry asked, "Did I ever tell you lot how much of a genius my Hermione is?"

"Might have mentioned it once or twice," Neville laughed, watching as Hermione used her Knight of Ocean abilities to drain the dampness from their clothes, Harry shaking his black hair like a shaggy dog as he then returned the kiss to his betrothed with more affection than before.

_**HPHG**_

"I think it's a good idea."

"I should have guessed that Sirius," laughed Harry when he finished explaining, with help from Hermione, the plan for the new year; they were to return to Albion House in the morning and so Harry knew that they'd need the seal of approval from all of those involved with the task at hand. Given that Sirius was to be the new Defence Teacher and Remus was to be the History of Magic Professor, Harry had a sneaking suspicion that their answer would have been yes: now that suspicion was confirmed.

"Well it is," Remus agreed, looking to his brother-in-all-but-blood, "And the reasoning behind it is the same as always: Dumbledore; we already know that he's more than willing to do whatever it takes to see Harry and Sirius apart, but if there were to be a deciding factor at Hogwarts, then it would complete the circle of watchers surrounding Harry and give us the chance to watch our common enemy from the inside."

"I agree," Lily smiled, her arms around her son as she'd listened to his plan, "And we can still use the Wing for accommodation, can't we Harry?"

"Sure we can," Harry replied, "I'd need to speak to Godric himself about extending the sleeping areas, but it won't be a problem; considering the size of the Wing as it is, I'm surprised it stays hidden from the outside."

"Concealment charms and Expansion runes, no doubt," Hermione suggested, her own form surrounded by her parents, who shared Harry's agreements about the task at hand, "So Godric wouldn't find it too difficult to fashion another set of rooms."

"And if the worst came down to it," Harry reasoned, "I can still access the Chamber of Secrets and see if I can locate Salazar's Wing as well as using Godric's."

"Funny you should mention Slytherin," Lily then added, Harry aware of an almost plan-inducing tone in his Mother's voice, "Because this plan of yours would also give me the chance to speak to an old friend about how he's treated you."

"Mum," Harry sighed, though it was more of a groan as it rolled from his lips, "Don't be too hard on Sev: he knows about what you said in your Will, though it's going to be hard explaining that since you're alive, and he also knows what Dad said about the apology."

"I hope you're not expecting me to apologise to Snivellus as well pup," Sirius growled, his voice low and threatening, "I'll trust him and be as civil as I can given his redemption over the past year, but I'll never apologise, not after everything he's put you through."

"Be fair Sirius," Harry sighed, looking to his godfather as he should have suspected this would come up, "I don't really mind if you never say sorry, because Dad did that for you in his will; Severus knows what they say about Mum and Dad's apology and forgiveness of him; in fact, if you don't mind Mum, I've started to think of Sev as part of our family."

"You have?" she asked, "Even after everything he…"

Her words were cut off when Harry, lifting his hand, summoned a stone basin to them, before he also summoned Excalibur and, tracing it along the rim of the basin, Harry commanded, "_Memaria Animus Visari!_"

A bright silver light emerged from the tip of Excalibur and, as everyone watched, Lily was the one to gasp as the basin was suddenly covered by a set of runes that any who had used a certain magical object would recognise.

"Harry," she gasped, "Do you know what you just did?"

"Merlin taught me," Harry reminded her, "He said that this spell was useful for creating the item in question, but I could only use it once; look at it this way, I now have one of my own."

"A Pensieve," Sirius gasped, "I keep forgetting how powerful you truly are Harry, but why…"

"Because I want you all to see something," Harry told them, lifting his wand to his temple before he withdrew the image from within his mind, "The reaction that Severus gave on the day I found out about your apologies."

Dropping the memory into the Pensieve, Harry watched with a wry smile as the swirling mists rose from the basin, drawing all of them into the light as the memory began to play out;

_Flashback Start_

_Harry didn't waste time;_

_No sooner had he recovered from his sadness and his loss-induced tears than he was on his feet and moving down towards the dungeons, Excalibur in his hand and Hermione at his side, the Holy Knight of Ocean having told the Order that this one was personal, so they should stay in the Wing. Reaching the dungeons, Harry began counting doors until he found the Potions Laboratory; recalling what he had seen and done one year before when he and Weasley had been impersonating Slytherins, Harry moved two more doors down before he stopped and knocked hard, the reply from within not exactly friendly._

_"Who dares to cause such an infernal…" the door opened and Severus Snape revealed his face, "Potter! I should have kn-"_

_BANG!_

_With the force of a hurricane, both man and door were thrown aside, Severus now being pinned to his seat, Hermione – who once would have gasped in horror at the sight of them attacking a teacher – now stone faced as she stood at the door, keeping people out and them in._

_"You!" snarled Harry, his silver eye now flashing with a full lightning storm, "You lying, treacherous greasy-haired bastard! I want a word with you and I'm not leaving until I'm done."_

_"Who the hell do you think you are Potter?" asked Snape, his eyes narrowed as he found himself bound by the swirling winds of the hurricane, the office, much to his surprise, not even affected by the weather._

_"Who do I think I am?" Harry repeated, "I think I am Harry James Potter, son of Lily Alexandra Evans and James Marcus Potter, Holy Knight of Thunder, Twice-Blessed Knight's Heir, Lord of the Elements and owner of the Holy Sword Excalibur; I think I am the new Lord to the Potter and Evans fortunes and I think, Snivellus Snape that I am the one who you are going to listen to for once and, if you don't, I will see you in Azkaban!"_

_As was the norm whenever Harry grew angry, a bolt of lightning struck both sides of Severus' desk, the Potions Master now losing all his snide remarks and his sneering looks: Potter had not only frozen Malfoy and Weasley in place for attempted rape, but he had forced Hogwarts to put that Weasley in Slytherin and stood up to Lucius. Not to mention the power he had just to tame those elements as well as he had done, even if it had been in anger, it had still been powerful._

_"Calm your storm, Lord Potter," Severus gasped out, "And you have my full attention; I swear it."_

_Drawing the power of the winds back into his magic, Harry reached into his pocket and withdrew the three pieces of parchment from Amelia, before he placed them on the desk and, in as much of a calm voice, he commanded, "Read them!"_

_Taking the parchments, Severus began to read the information, all the while aware of Harry using his magic to repair the office and all that had been broken, Hermione giving him a soft kiss on the cheek as the Potions Master continued reading; when he got to the part concerning him, the eyes of the Slytherin Head widened and, as he looked from the letters to Harry, he asked, "Is…is this…"_

_"Real," Harry finished, "Those are my parents' official Last Will and Testaments and they both quite clearly not only offer you an apology, but also say that my Mother forgives you and, as if that isn't enough, they willingly entrust you with my life should one Sirius Black be unable to look after me."_

_"But," Severus gasped, "I was told…I never…oh my God…what have I…"_

_"Done?" finished Harry, "Well let's count them off shall we? You insult a boy who knew nothing of magic or his heritage of having nothing but a desire for fame; you threaten me several times with expulsions and abuse when I got enough of that at the hands of my so-called caring relatives; in fact, Snape, the only time you ever did anything for me was in that Quidditch match when you stopped Quirrell from killing me."_

_"Potter," Severus whispered, looking back to the letter, "Lily…oh Merlin…I never…I didn't want…"_

_"She still cared for you," Harry told him, "I don't know what you did to upset her, but if she forgave you for it, on her death bed I might add, and then she entrusts you with the life of her son, what does that tell you? That she wants to keep the rivalries going so that her soul can never rest in peace or that she chooses to leave the past where it is? In the past!"_

_"But," Severus gulped, "Everything you did; all those times you let arrogance and recklessness…"_

_"That was because I didn't know better," Harry explained, "Haven't you seen it sir? In the past five months, so much has changed in me and I'm allowing it to continue changing me: I have the girl of my dreams, my magic at full strength, friends and allies, a family that loves me and soon I will also have my godfather and a new lease on life, but what could that mean if my parents' memories are being dishonoured by someone like you? Someone they choose, willingly, to forgive and offer the olive branches of hope and friendship? What do I do then Professor Snape?"_

_Severus, looking again to the letters and wills, gave a sigh before he looked to Harry, seeing the Holy Knight in a new light; as he stared into those heterochromic eyes, the Potions Master actually felt a set of mental defences being lowered, before a soft, trusting voice, told him, "Take a look if you want; you'll see I'm telling the truth."_

_Severus…didn't take a look; he could see it in the eyes; though they were dry as stone, the Potions Master knew from experience when someone had been crying and had shown true pain and wanted nothing more than to set it right. Time was, Potter…no, Harry wouldn't have dared to blast the door down like he had done there; he wouldn't have had the power, never mind the balls._

_"Is it too late?" Severus asked, his voice low and asking only for forgiveness, "For things to be put right."_

_"No," Harry replied, "The life debt is still in effect until you choose to accept me as who I really am; that's what the will is saying: my parents, Lily and James, are offering you the chance to do the right thing. If you want the chance, Professor…Severus, then I'll give it to you and use Excalibur's magic to cancel the debt, but I don't want us as enemies…not when my Dad apologised and my Mum forgave you. Please…"_

_Severus looked up suddenly, his eyes wide as he saw Harry was now standing across from him, the boy on his knees before the Potions Master, his free hand extended in friendship and a unity that Severus had only ever truly felt around Lily; what she had said in the letter: were it not for our House differences, there may have been the chance I could call you the Father to my child._

_"Lily," Severus whispered, extending a hand to Harry, but, instead of placing it in Harry's hand, he gently clasped the boy on the shoulder and, in a calm, true voice that didn't sound like his jaws were glued together, he added, "Harry, thank you for bringing this to me: I, Severus Snape, ask your forgiveness for everything and ask that you can trust me as well as you do your protectors."_

_"You have my forgiveness Severus," Harry told him, looking into those dark eyes of the Slytherin Head, "And, if your words speak truth, I would be honoured to call you my friend and a member of my external family."_

_While the two shook hands, as if to seal the deal, Severus noticed the look on the face of Hermione Granger and, for the first time in his life, there wasn't a single thing about the Gryffindor that bothered him;_

_For when he looked at her, Severus saw tears in her eyes that he knew were for more than Harry's offer of redemption;_

_It was for their future…_

_Flashback End_

Seeing the memory, which Harry returned to his mind with a simple flick of his wand, his eyes noticing Lily and Sirius sharing a glance as to what they had seen, the small company of allies appeared to be in a mix of doubt and shock.

"You were brave to take him on," Lily remarked, her voice calm despite the demons that were eating away at her; when she had learned about Severus' treatments of Harry, she had wanted to tear a new hole into him, but, from what she had just seen, Lily knew that her son had done just that…and more.

"I can't believe he was willing to apologise and ask for your forgiveness," Sirius remarked, before he met Harry's eyes as he added, "But you never told us that he'd saved you once before as well."

"Technically," Hermione remarked, her own eyes noticing her Father's shock at seeing the man she had told him was a biased fool looking so…human, "Harry was saved because I managed to set the offending Professor's robes on fire; Severus was just there muttering a counter-curse; it's the reason that Harry's still alive."

"Though I guess it doesn't really excuse his other actions," Harry spoke up, "It wasn't until the middle of last year that he started noticing that Hermione, Neville and I had any real talent for Potions and it was after that that this event took place; since then, he's helped us with Remus, asked that he can stick to my side of the war that is to come and, on top of all that, Severus also has my permission to be at the House."

"So," Lily sighed, looking to Sirius, who was still in shock at seeing his former enemy looking and acting so, dare he think it, nice, "What my son, your pup and future student is trying to say Padfoot is: be civil with him if you want to, but there's no reason to open up any old wounds and, if you do, you'll have two pissed off Holy Knights to deal with."

"Not to mention the Arch-Knight," Harry added, "And King of Camelot."

"And a werewolf," Remus added with a grin, his eyes on Sirius, "Lily always noticed that you, Peter and James were the ones to target him; sometimes Padfoot, I wondered how you could despise Slytherins and especially Severus given your family."

As every head turned to Sirius, the Marauder tried to regain some sense of humorous dignity as he asked, "What is this? Pick on Sirius Black Day?"

"Yep," Harry laughed, earning a groan from Sirius as he added, "Well done Siri, you've finally got the one day of the year where we can turn the pranks and humour on the prankster."

"Oh great," Sirius groaned, before he finally broke into laughter that had started to fill the room, a small part of him knowing that, if Harry's plan went to fruition and his idea was a success, then this year was going to be many things…

Except boring…

_**HPHG**_

The seven Lords of Nature met with Harry and his alliance of friends and family at Camelot's gates the next morning, the King of Camelot dressed in wizarding robes that hid his regal attire, his crown and more kingly possessions kept safe by his own magic as he looked to each of his mentors.

"Emrys," he sighed, meeting the ancient, wizened gaze of the Lord of Light, "Again, I thank you for everything you've done for me: rest assured that I shall not forget the lessons you and the other Lords taught me and, as promised, I shall return next summer for the next stage in my training."

"Take care Your Majesty," Merlin replied, shaking Harry's hand, before the Lords and Knights alike smiled when the master pulled what he had classed as his apprentice into a warm hug, the arms of the Father of Magic holding Harry close as he spoke, "I am proud to call you the true King of Camelot and rest assured that it and your destiny will be waiting for your return: Godspeed, King Harry James Potter."

"And you Emrys," Harry replied, now stepping back as he met the eyes of the other Lords, "I am grateful to have met each and every one of you and hope that, when we next meet, you can look upon me as the Lord you wished for when destiny chose me as the Arch-Knight."

"We already see you as that my Lord," Zeus sighed, his thunderous voice seemingly softened by the sense of affection he felt towards his young King and student, "You certainly make me proud to have blessed you with the original title of Holy Knight of Thunder: you have learned much and your powers grow with each day, but don't forget about our warnings and remember to keep control of your emotions."

"I will Zeus," Harry nodded, bowing to the Lord of Thunder as he added, "I leave here a King, but I shall return as a Lord and warrior that you can be proud of."

"I know," Artemis commented, her dark eyes on Harry as she spoke, "Be wary of what is to come, young King, for the tides of battle shall be turned within the year."

"A foreboding?" asked Harry, a part of him knowing the gifts of Sight and prophecy held by the Lord/Lady of Darkness; Merlin, not only as Lord of Light, but Father of Magic, had similar powers, but, no real surprise, Artemis was the one whom Harry listened to.

"And a message," Artemis replied, "The swords of destiny shall be as one before your return; the one that has my charm shall return and only you, King of Camelot, will be able to affect the war that is to come."

"Riddle," Harry sighed, earning gasps from Lily, Hermione, Dan and Emma, though Neville held a wide-eyed expression and Luna seemed almost apathetic. "This will be the year of his return, won't it?"

"It will," Zeus answered, "You remember what we told you?"

"I do," Harry replied, "For his power to be unlocked, I must willingly offer my blood to aid in his resurrection, but how will I get that chance?"

As if to answer his question, Harry watched as Artemis' eyes appeared to cloud over, a large group of dark mists surrounding the Lady of Darkness, before her voice spoke as if she were one possessed,

_The swords of destiny shall be as one when the time of the Three shall be changed with the coming of the Fourth; where the Four shall meet to become the One, there shall the Snake be reborn; only through his heart and soul shall Number Four hold the strength to make the Snake into the warrior he once was; the time of the Three shall begin when Lucifer rides again._

When she was done, Artemis seemed to shake her head, before she looked to Harry and the Knights, Lily watching her with eyes of worry while Harry seemed almost scared, "Did I just do what I think I did?"

"If you mean give a prophecy, then yes," Harry replied, his strong voice hiding his fear as to what he had heard: the time of the Three? The Four shall meet to become the One? The time of the Three shall begin when Lucifer rides again?

"Harry," Emrys warned him, "Don't let yourself be worried by Artemis' predictions; you know she will never intentionally give a prophecy that is to lead you into any real danger; that is the duty of those who make self-fulfilling prophecies like the fraud at Hogwarts."

"Of course Master Emrys," Harry nodded, before he shrugged his shoulders ruefully, giving a heartfelt bow to the Lords as he added, "Until we meet again, my friends and family of the elements."

"Take care Your Majesty," the Lords replied, before Harry turned away from Camelot's entrance and, summoning Excalibur, opened the gateway back to the real world.

_**HPHG**_

When the Gate closed behind them, Harry let out another sigh, his eyes taking notice of how their return had brought them back to Albion House, the familiar feeling of being home and safe making Harry smile as he breathed in the scents of warmth and comfort from his family home.

"What do you think she meant?" asked Hermione, "By the time of the Three?"

"Something's coming to Hogwarts," Harry remarked, his voice calm as he turned to his Mother, Sirius and Remus, "And, as usual, I'll be in the thick of it: we need to put my plan into action."

"What do you need of us Harry?" asked Sebastian, as battle-ready and eager to serve the will of his Lord as ever.

"I need you Seba," Harry answered, "To go to Hogwarts and keep watch over the school until we return on September First; while you're away, I officially give command of the Order to Elora and Dante." As he watched the faces of the Order fill with shock, a soft smile crossed his face as he added, "Ty?"

"Y-Yes Harry?" asked Tyler, a part of him knowing he would get used to the nickname that Harry gave him.

"I'd like you to come with Sirius, Remus, Mum and I; I know all about your feelings and I think our destination coincides with the one you want to see," he watched as Tyler appeared to become nervous, before he inclined his head, Harry now looking to Sirius as he added, "In the meantime, we've got an appointment."

"With who sweetheart?" asked Lily, her eyes widening with shock as she heard Harry's answer.

"Oh, no-one special Mum; just…the new Minister For Magic."

_**HPHG**_

Amelia Bones, also known as the new Minister For Magic, wasn't all that surprised when the new Head of the DMLE, Kingsley Shacklebolt, entered her office with a simple message, "Lord Potter, Lord Black and Professor Lupin are here to see you Minister."

"Thank you Shack," Amelia smiled, watching as the tall, dark-skinned Auror left her office; moments later, true to his word, the three aforementioned people entered, followed by a cloaked, hooded figure dressed in a long white cloak and hood, the face obscured by some kind of powerful charm that had Amelia looking to Harry, "Strange, he didn't mention you had an additional guest."

"She's one of us," Harry remarked, Amelia then noticing Harry had hold of Excalibur, the blade of the ancient, powerful weapon glowing with raw magic as he added, "Did you manage to speak with Professor Flitwick about what I asked?"

"I did," Amelia replied, watching as Sirius and Remus appeared to throw privacy wards around her office, "Though I was surprised when the letter came all the way from Camelot: if you don't mind me asking Harry, how is it?"

"Like something out of a dream," Harry answered, "But I can't say much more in case someone learns of this: now, thanks to the wards, it's safe for my guest to reveal herself and then, when you see her, I hope you'll understand my request."

As Amelia watched, the hooded Knight – she knew that from Harry's explanation of being _one of them_ – lifted a pale-skinned hand and pulled her hood down, revealing a head of red hair with a streak of white and a pair of heterochromic eyes that held a shade of emerald that could only be found in two places.

"It…it can't be," gasped Amelia, now rising from her seat and, moving around the desk, asked, "Lily?"

"Nice to see you again Amie," Lily replied, Harry aware of Amelia's face twisting into a smile; clearly, like Remus and Sebastian, Amelia had some kind of old-school nickname from her friends. "So," added Lily, "Minister? And my son can just walk into your office as and when he wants to? I knew there was a reason I trusted you so much."

Before Harry could say anymore words in response, Amelia embraced Lily in a warm, friendly hug of reconciliation, before she turned to Harry and, trying to keep to her stern, Minister's attitude, told him, "I think you have some explaining to do young man."

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," Harry laughed, before he grew serious as he asked, "But, getting back to the matter at hand, does my representative have the Minister's approval?"

"Yes she does," Amelia replied, before she couldn't help but laugh as she added, "I can't wait to see the look on Albus' face when the new Professor of Advanced Charmcasting reveals herself."

"You and me both," laughed Harry and Lily in unison, all five of the wizards and witches present getting down to some friendly chatting as they enjoyed the sensation of being among friends.

_**HPHG**_

Tyler, thanks to his permissions from Harry, followed his Lord to the Ministry and made his way, guided by the tall man Shacklebolt – or Shack, as he explained to his friends – towards the Auror Corps where, as Tyler entered what appeared to be a training arena, a familiar pair of eyes looked back at him from across the floor.

"Miss Tonks," he said with a smile, inclining his head as he approached her.

"Mr Kingston," Tonks replied, both of them now inches apart as they looked into each other's eyes. When it looked like they were going to spar or start shooting curses at one another, Tonks took Tyler's hands and, looking into his eyes, asked, "What did he say?"

"Let me answer that question with this," Tyler suggested, before he leaned in close, his lips brushing against Tonks' as he held her in his arms, the young Auror in training closing her eyes as she held onto him.

Their kiss lasted for a short moment, before Tyler stepped back, his eyes filled with delight as he explained, "Sirius said yes and Harry gave me his blessing: so, what do you say to having a Warrior of Pendragon as your boyfriend?"

"The very thing that I would have said three months ago when we first kissed," Tonks replied, before she reached up and, using the tip of her thumb, wiped a tear from Tyler's shining eyes, her lips returning to his as she felt him hold her;

"Yes."

**Chapter 27 and, with the return of the team, and the return of Lily, it seems that things are progressing on all fronts; Tyler has a girlfriend, Amelia has an old friend and, yet again, Hogwarts has a new professor; what will the outcome of this be?**

**Also, will Harry be able to survive the foreboding made by Artemis prophecy and will he learn the meaning before it's too late?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Harry finds that there are some demons that just won't learn to stay dead; Tyler informs Sebastian of his relationship with Tonks and we find out how it began; plus, it's back to Hogwarts and a few announcements are made, but why does Slytherin appear to be one DMW down and why is Harry suddenly on edge?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: I hope that the prophecy was to the liking of my loyal readers; I'm aware that it sounds a little like one of Trelawney's fraud prophecies, but I couldn't think of a better way to write it;**

**AN 2: For those wondering about the continuity of the Chronicles of Camelot; the Swords of Destiny Arc will continue up to the Yule Ball before being moved onto the next part of the Chronicles: Circle of Seven.**

**OC Spells:**

**_Memaria Animus Visari: _The Pensieve Creation Charm: crafted by Merlin himself; can use a magical conduit – such as Excalibur – to turn an object into a Pensieve;**


	28. The Crossroads of Destiny

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 27:**

**Draehydraxis: Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying them; this has now become my longest and highest reviewed story EVER;**

**StormyFireDragon: Oh Storm that would be telling now wouldn't it?**

**Loki Palmer: It would be asking too much, but in a perfect world, it would happen;**

**Cateagle: All will be revealed concerning that walking dust bunny very soon; also, I have a nice idea concerning Harry's entry: it's one that no-one will expect;**

**Airlady: How true and this plan will be no exception;**

**Aealket: Sorry, I should have mentioned that Luna was training with them; also, the DMW's role in all this will be revealed soon; the so-called demons involve a past failing and Sirius and Severus will get to go at it pretty soon when Dumbles tries to play a card;**

**Harryhermionealways: Dumbledore won't be doing anything to change what is already to come; believe me when I say that I won't let him; also, as for the DMW, things are moving exactly as planned;**

**Pfeil: maybe that's why they call them Challenge Rules; even now, after everything that's happened, I still intend to stick to the tasks at hand;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Yeah well…sorry;**

_As if to answer his question, Harry watched as Artemis' eyes appeared to cloud over, a large group of dark mists surrounding the Lady of Darkness, before her voice spoke as if she were one possessed, _

_The swords of destiny shall be as one when the time of the Three shall be changed with the coming of the Fourth; where the Four shall meet to become the One, there shall the Snake be reborn; only through his heart and soul shall Number Four hold the strength to make the Snake into the warrior he once was; the time of the Three shall begin when Lucifer rides again._

Chapter 28: The Crossroads of Destiny

Once their divided businesses were taken care of, Harry bade farewell to Amelia and watched with a half-hearted smile as his Mother replaced her hood, before the Minister said her goodbyes, as well as asking Harry to send for her should anything, and she meant _anything_, go wrong at Hogwarts. While she didn't openly tell him of any events that were happening, Harry had the distinct impression that, like Artemis, Amelia was trying to warn him about something. Reuniting with Tyler, Harry accessed a Floo Gate and travelled back to Albion House, his Mother, his godfather and his closest friend close behind him; however, when they emerged from the gateway, Harry was surprised to find Hermione waiting for them, a look of worry in her eyes, a sense of fear and dread moving through the bond.

"What's wrong love?" asked Harry, taking his girlfriend into his arms and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"We have a visitor," Hermione explained, before she looked past him and spoke to the Holy Knight of Light, "He…he knows you're alive Aunt Lily."

"I don't recall Harry saying he gave Dumbledore permission to be here," Sirius remarked, before a look of shock and bewilderment was shared by the two Potters, before Harry was the one to say it.

"No," he looked to Hermione and gave her another soft kiss on her forehead as he admitted, "But I _did_ give permission to Severus."

"He's here?" asked Remus, "That's just perfect: Lily," looking to his old friend, the werewolf gave her a smile as he then saw a look of hidden, unexpressed rage that he had only ever seen in Harry. "Perhaps it would be easier to give these two a few minutes."

"Warn your parents," Harry laughed, watching as Hermione went to the living room, emerging moments later with Dan, Emma and the other Order members; with a sly smile, Harry explained, "Stay out here for a few moments; there are some old friends who need to say hello."

Even as he said the words, Harry watched as Lily strode past them, through the door into the living room, a soft click coming from a make-shift lock on the door as Harry held up a hand, signalling the others to be quiet.

"Wait for it," he said, a Marauder-worthy smile on his face as he listened to the sounds from beyond the doorway; moments later, Sirius, Remus and Sebastian all winced, Dan giving Harry a look that said he was thankful he was in Harry's good books as a loud, very painful-sounding smack echoed through the living room, followed by the lock being undone, the door now open.

"Come in Harry," Lily said from the next room, "Laugh and you're grounded."

Trying, and failing, to keep a straight face, Harry opened the door and walked into the main lounge of Albion House, each of the males that weren't Harry or Severus wincing when they saw the Potions Master in front of them. He was covering a rather well-imprinted red mark on his cheek, a set of lighter marks indicating that Lily had scratched him with the tips of her nails.

"Remind me never to get that woman really mad at me," Sirius gulped, watching as Harry walked over to Severus, before he shook his head and, turning to his Mother, seemed almost disappointed.

"That's it?" he asked, watching as Lily took a seat opposite her former schoolmate, "All that he put me through and you decide to just give him a right good smack across the mouth?"

"Not so," Severus replied, before he met Harry's eyes and, for the second time, every male, though this time _including _Harry, gave a groan of sympathetic pain as he saw Severus now sporting a black eye, a similar striking mark on the other side of his face.

"I only let you hear that last one," Lily told her son, smiling when she saw Harry tap into his magic before he healed the marks on Severus' cheeks, the lighter nail-induced scars remaining as if Harry were saying that Severus deserved them. "But it's going to take a long time for you to truly earn my forgiveness Severus: how could you be so blind?"

"I…I don't know," Severus answered, his voice calm as he thanked his student, Harry now sitting with his back to the ornate fireplace, "I just saw red when I saw Harry for the first time; up until I heard that letter, I never knew how you felt Lily. I'm just thankful that your son managed to inherit your sense of giving people another chance, though I do know that I don't deserve them."

"Maybe not," Harry replied, before everyone gasped as a swish of wings echoed through the house and, as most of those still standing ducked their heads, Harry gasped as a slightly larger, yet still beautiful sky-blue-scaled dragon flew over their heads and, using her front talons, seemed to pin herself to Harry's shoulder.

'_Iris,_' Harry gasped, his mind feeling the warmth and comfort that came from his bonded friend, '_You got bigger._'

'_And you got stronger my Harry,_' Iris replied; her voice had lost some of the child-like innocence, but it was still as beautiful and musical as it had been the first time Harry had heard her voice. '_I have felt your strength, but why did you not take me with you to the other world?_'

'_I was worried for you,_' Harry replied, now petting the dragon's soft snout, Lily and Severus looking to the once-small creature with eyes of wonder, '_Without your ability to use your burning frost, I feared that you could get hurt. But don't worry, because my friend, the Minister, said that she's managed to allow you to come to the school with me._'

'_Then you are forgiven,_' Iris told him, '_I love you, my little King._'

'_And I you, my radiant Rainbow Goddess._'

As he looked away from Iris' golden eyes, Harry smiled as he added, "She missed me; but yes," he explained, getting back to the matter at hand, "Maybe you didn't deserve the forgiveness and friendship that I offered you Sev, but you were more than willing to swear in the same manner as Sirius that you would do all that you could to help me."

"And I will keep my word," Severus explained, looking now to Lily as he asked, "So, how are you back anyway Lily?"

"In a word," Harry answered, drawing Excalibur from its sheath as he told Severus the truth, "Merlin."

"You met him?" asked Severus, his usually apathetic attitude abandoned for a look of pure shock, "When? Where?"

"When," Harry answered, "My birthday when I opened the Gate and went to Camelot: where? Within the halls where I was crowned King of the Magical Realm of Camelot or, to give it the true name that I learned from Emrys himself: Albion, the very land that this House was named after."

"Merlin's beard!" gasped Severus, earning a laugh from Harry.

"You know, I never will understand that saying thanks to the man: his beard wasn't that impressive: it was like looking at a powerful and, dare I say it, _nice_ Albus Dumbledore," he shrugged as he looked back to Severus, "But if you think that's impressive, then try this: I also learned from him."

"In what sense?" asked Severus.

"Every sense," Hermione replied, before she looked to Harry as she explained, "By the way, Neville and Luna have gone back to Longbottom Manor to speak with Lady Longbottom about where they go from here and Luna wanted to tell her Dad about her becoming a Holy Knight."

"That's fine," Harry nodded, looking back to Severus as he suggested, "Why don't you try using Legilimency on me? I give you permission to do so, or, as I said, to _try_ to do so."

The dark eyes of the Potions Master met the silvery eyes of the Arch-Knight and, as he did, Severus let out a gasp and held his own head in pain, his eyes clamped shut as he gasped, "What…what happened to your mind?"

"Occlumency," Harry explained, "I learned from the best…_literally_."

"Harry," Severus gasped, "That…" he rubbed at his forehead again, before looking to his student, "That was more than a shield around your mind; it actually felt like…"

"Like you were being struck by lightning?" asked Lily, her face twisted into a smile as she witnessed the change in relations between her once-friend and her son: yes, Severus would take time to earn her forgiveness, but Lily could trust him with Harry for now and that was good enough for her.

"That's right," Severus replied, "How did…"

"Mum was my sparring partner," Harry explained to Severus, "She'd test my shields, both magical and mental and, when I finally managed to close my mind to all but those who share my bonds like Iris and Hermione, she said that it felt like she'd been struck by lightning as well."

"Wow," Dan laughed, looking now to Lily as he added, "Now I understand why you said it was a good thing that I couldn't do things like that."

"How do you mean?" asked Hermione, Harry sharing her curiosity: he wasn't aware of this conversation coming up, but then again, he _had_ been busy with his duties to Camelot's throne.

"Well," Dan explained, looking now to Harry as he seemed to address the young King like the son he'd seen him as, "Your Mum would always talk to Emma and I about the power that grew between you and Hermione and, at one point, I saw you two out in that Garden out the back of Camelot Castle and I let slip that I would have loved to know what you were thinking sometimes."

"Then I told him that he should be thankful that he didn't possess that gift," Lily told Harry, watching as Hermione seemed content to sit next to her betrothed, the Queen of Camelot petting Iris, who decided to move to her shoulders. "Because I'd tried it and it felt like I was being struck by lightning before I was able to pull out; someone as untrained as a Muggle could feel something…well…worse."

"Ouch," laughed Sirius, "Mental note; don't try to read Harry's mind: hope you can remember that as well Snape?"

"Sirius," Harry warned him, "Remember what we said?" He looked back to Severus as he said this, "I don't want teachers at each other's throats, or it may fall to the Heir of the Founders to put you in your place."

"I suppose so," Sirius groaned, "But like I said back in Camelot Harry, it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Surprisingly, including Harry in that, Severus gave a rue shrug as he commented dryly, "I'll bury the hatchet if you will Black, or do you prefer Sirius?"

"Actually," Sirius remarked and Harry couldn't help but notice the smile: it was an opportunity that Sirius couldn't let go, "I'd much sooner you call me Master."

"Only if you call _me_ Master," Harry laughed, watching as Sirius fell to his knees, all of them laughing in agreement as Harry asked, "After all, _Lord_ Black, let's not forget which of us is the King around here!"

"But of course your Highness," Sirius groaned, jokingly bowing to Harry over and over again, "Forgive your bad doggie for his actions against his Majesty; oh bad dog; oh bad, bad dog: put me in the kennel."

"Okay," Lily exclaimed and, before Sirius could move, he found himself chained to a transfigured chair, though the chair was now in the shape of a rickety kennel.

"Lily," groaned Sirius, before he laughed as he added, "I guess I deserved that huh?"

"Yep," chorused Harry and Hermione.

Sirius seemed content to shift into Padfoot, as if keeping with the joke, before he lay down in his kennel and gave Harry _the look_;

However, the King of Camelot wasn't so easy to cave…

_**HPHG**_

Returning to Longbottom Manor was fairly different for Neville now that he had not only regained a small part of his extended family, but also spent time in the one place that most wizards and witches would kill to go to. On top of that, he now had his Soul Bonded as a Holy Knight and was seen, and treated, as a member of nobility rather than the Squib that the students of Hogwarts treated him as.

At his side, Luna seemed to share her boyfriend's sense of worry and angst, though she hid it well by keeping to her mask of being one who had no real cares in the world. When they had said that they were going to return to the Manor, Hermione had allowed Luna to contact her Father, Xenophilius Lovegood, and tell him to meet them at Neville's home because she had an announcement.

Moving through the marble-decorated main hall of Longbottom Manor, Luna suddenly stopped dead, her eyes narrowed with a mix of pain and bewilderment; looking to her boyfriend, she whispered, "Neville, the air has shifted; something's wrong."

"I felt it too love," Neville replied, his arm instinctively snaking around Luna's waist as he held her, "I sense more than two heat signatures in here and, other than my House Elves, there's one that I don't recognise."

"I do," Luna told him, her eyes on his as she explained, "I feel your senses through our soul bond; Minerva explained it to me in the other realm: as the Knight of Sky, I can sense changes in the air and use them to identify a presence or a trap; it's also the reason that I can sense Ethereals, but Minerva told me that she'd help me harness that power next summer. Plus, like Harry, I can control the four winds and the power of the weather and hold a communication with the creatures of the sky."

"And your sense is telling you of the other that's here," Neville finished for her, before his own eyes darkened as he asked, "Should we call Harry? With Excalibur, he'll be able to…"

"You still have Lancelot don't you?" asked Luna, watching as her answer was given by her boyfriend revealing said magical weapon; as she stared at it, Luna smiled before she told him, "You have nothing to worry about Neville; I feel Harry's magic in your blade, though it makes sense given he _is_ your blood-brother."

"I suppose you're right Luna," Neville sighed, before he looked to her as he asked, "By the way: you never told me the name of your weapon."

"I didn't name my blade yet," Luna told him, "You, Harry and Hermione bear burnished weapons and they deserve names; for all of us to do the same makes it kind of silly."

"But you're my soul mate," Neville argued, "You share in my power, so you should name yours too."

"Let's worry about that later," Luna advised him, placing a soft kiss against Neville's lips as she looked into his eyes, "Let's deal with the trouble ahead of us first."

"If you say so Luna," Neville smiled, knowing now why it was that Harry took his betrothed's advice to heart; not because the women of their relationship were always right, but because their advice and assurances gave Harry and Neville the means to be strong for their sakes. Lowering Lancelot to his side, though keeping a strong grip on the hilt and pommel, Neville approached the familiar kitchen where he loved to study and, as he neared the door, he and Luna stopped dead as they heard Harry's name being mentioned by the last person they wanted to see at the moment.

"Lady Longbottom, surely you can understand that Harry's influence over your grandson is affecting his education."

"I would have to disagree Albus," argued Augusta Longbottom, her voice making Neville smile as he realised that she wasn't caving to the manipulative old bastard and his ways to get Harry back to the weak boy he once was. "I have never seen my Neville so strong-willed and ready to defend his friends; do you know he was the one to stop Harry killing that Weasley boy last year?"

"I…was made aware of it yes," Dumbledore replied, his voice making the fires in Neville burn brighter as the Knight of Fire tried to keep his emotions in check. "But please, for your grandson's sake, get him away from Harry and allow my specialist training to guide him to…"

"No Albus," Lady Longbottom snapped, "I won't stop my Neville being friends with the boy who, in all but blood terms, is Harry's brother and new best friend; I know why you want him away from Neville: so idiots like that Weasley boy can try and worm their way back into Harry's good graces; well it won't work. Now, as Lady of the House, I ask you, I _order _you: leave!"

"Augusta…"

"Headmaster," Neville couldn't remain silent; stepping into the kitchen, he lifted Lancelot and held it before the Headmaster, "My Gran has asked you and now I ask you: leave our home: my friendship with Harry will remain and there's nothing you can do to change it. Who he makes friends with and how he spends his time is his business and not yours: now, leave our home before I am forced to expel you from my Family House by force."

Dumbledore, seeing the fire and strength in the eyes of the Longbottom Heir, not to mention the clearly magical weapon in his hand, was forced to admit defeat, and he _hated _it; inclining his head, Dumbledore left the Manor, his mind already making plans to use Neville to get to Harry.

Such a shame that it wouldn't work;

Back in the kitchen, Neville lifted his voice before he called, "Dobby!"

In a crack, Dobby appeared and bowed his head to Neville as he asked, "You called me Neville?"

"Go to Harry," Neville told him, "Tell him Dumbledore's been here but Luna, my Gran and I are all right; then ask him if we can all spend the remainder of the summer together either here or at Albion House."

"Yes Neville," Dobby replied, vanishing with another crack before Neville looked to his Gran as he gave her his best smile.

"Gran," he said solemnly, "We've got some catching up to do and there are things you need to know."

_**HPHG**_

"I see; thank you Dobby: go back to Neville and tell him that we'll be spending the rest of the summer here."

When Dobby vanished, Harry waited three seconds before he cursed loudly and, thankfully for him, in Parseltongue so that his Mother couldn't understand him; when he was done, he heaved a sigh and looked to the small company in his living room before speaking. "Dumbledore's trying to use any means necessary to get to me; it's clear he thinks he can still rule my life, but, thankfully, it seems that Neville is ten steps ahead of him and two steps behind me."

"He must get that from Frank," Lily suggested, smiling when she saw her son leaning against the ornate fireplace of their home, Excalibur shining dimly in the evening light as he seemed to lose himself in his thoughts. "You've made a good friend there Harry and I'm glad you two became blood-siblings; I know for a fact that everything that Neville was told by Augusta was true and she won't want for nothing where her grandson is concerned."

Seated in her own chair, Hermione looked across at Lily as she asked, "Is it true that Neville was the only one who could keep Harry happy when they were younger?"

"Not so much happy," Lily answered, "But because they were practically twins, they only seemed to be comfortable, not to mention able to get down for a nap in the afternoons, when the other was around. Then there were the times that Harry used magic or became ill or upset; Neville's presence and his smile was the only thing that had my little one smiling through whatever pain he suffered."

"He was the only one that could stop me," Harry laughed, his silver eye shining in the light of the flames from the fireplace as he recalled how that had been the case when Ron had first insulted Hermione: Neville was the only one that could help.

"Exactly," Lily nodded, watching as Harry appeared to be lost in memories of the past; taking a leap of faith, she asked, "He has done so again, hasn't he?"

"Long time ago," Harry told her, "Back when I was in the dark about my being a Holy Knight, sorry, make that the Arch-Knight, but never mind that: I need to protect him and his family because, thanks to my blood bond with him, they're also my family."

"That's true," Hermione nodded, now watching as Harry appeared to lose himself again, a look of cold indecision lost in his eyes as she spoke, "But we also need to know why Dumbledore's doing this: he already knows that he's under investigation by Amelia and the Ministry for the role he played in Molly's actions against us and…"

"And that's why he's doing this," Harry finished for her, now turning away from the flames as he addressed the matter, "With Molly shovelling shit and Ronniekins as my House Slave, Dumbledore's lost his pieces of the game of chess that he's been content to play where my life and happiness have been concerned. So, with my return to Hogwarts, under the watchful eyes of my new Defence Teacher and History Teacher, not to mention the Order and my extended family, Dumbledore sees himself needing new pieces of the puzzle."

"And if Artemis' warning is anything to go by," Lily added, "Then we all need to be on our guard: whatever tasks will be involved with this year's events, we'll need to be ready."

"We will be," Harry told her, before he lifted his head, a low magical hum coming from Excalibur's blade as he added, "Excuse me; my wards have just informed me that Lady Longbottom is at the door; I'll add her to the wards so that she can come and go as she pleases."

As he left to perform his task, Hermione chuckled before, looking to Lily, she asked, "How do you think she'll take you being alive?"

"Neville may have already told her," Lily answered her, "But if he didn't and she faints, then you'll forgive me if I laugh: Augusta is a tough old bird and someone that watches out for those who mean the world to her."

"How very true," the elderly voice of Lady Longbottom replied, Harry now returning to the room with her, Neville, Luna and the mysterious Joseph-Coat-wearing figure of Xenophilius Lovegood – Luna introduced them – as she added, "Lily dear; it's so nice to see you back among those who need you: Lord Potter…"

"Harry, please Lady Longbottom," Harry requested, before he inclined his head to Xenophilius as he added, "And the same to you Lord Lovegood."

"I prefer Xeno, Mr Potter," Mr Lovegood told him; he had a mystical voice that seemed to hold the same unconfirmed innocence as his daughter.

"And, because of your bond with my Neville, you may call me Gran," Augusta told him, Neville and Luna now joining their younger extended family on the chairs as the adults made themselves scarce, possibly to talk about old times and new.

"What did he want?" asked Harry, using his magical senses to check the two Knights over; when they didn't react to his scans, and Excalibur's blade remained silver throughout it all, Harry pulled away and smiled.

"He wanted Gran to split us up," Neville told him, "He didn't sound desperate Harry, but then again we are dealing with a Master of the Mind Games; he said that you were a bad influence on me."

"Bull," Harry laughed, "If anything Neville, ever since our first reconciliation in the Gryffindor Common Room, I've helped you come out of your shell."

"I know," Neville smiled, "And so does Gran; she's proud to call you her extended family and think of you as her grandson: she said it's nice that we're back together as the family that we had when we were kids."

"Mum was telling me about those times," Harry laughed, "I find it hard to believe how close we were and yet how far apart we became when we met in our first year."

"Yeah," Neville sighed, before his face became stern as he added, "Well we know who we can thank for that, don't we Harry?"

"Indeed we do brother," Harry replied, now joining his friends and family as he added, "Indeed we do."

_**HPHG**_

While Harry, Luna, Hermione, Neville, Xeno, Augusta and Lily were talking about old times and new, upstairs, in the library of Albion House, a different kind of meeting was going on between Sirius, Remus, Dan, Emma and the Order.

"So we're in agreement," Dan remarked, "This year is going to change everything for my honorary son and daughter and you will be there to help them through it."

"We were always there for them before," Sebastian explained, "I even called Harry Lord at one point, but stopped that when he explained that he saw us as family: rest assured Dan, I won't fail them again."

"Good," Dan sighed, his eyes locked onto the head of the Order as he explained, "Because if I hear that Harry has been unable to protect my daughter again, then I'll make damn well sure that you're the one who feels my fists and not that innocent young man downstairs."

"Dan," Sirius reminded him, "Aside from Seba and the Order, Harry also has Professors Black, Lupin and Potter watching his back, not to mention Minerva and Severus, which makes up at least half the faculty and his friends and allies in the Houses. It may be my imagination, but something actually tells me that even Malfoy won't try anything this year: his Father appears to hold high respects towards Harry and so, if he tries anything, then anything Harry does in comeback will be perfectly legit."

"You may be right there Sirius," Dante commented, looking to his brothers-in-arms as he explained, "But remember that danger can come from anywhere: I mean, look at last year if you want evidence: a hexed Boggart, Dementors, a werewolf…" Remus lowered his head as he said this, "And, on top of all that, Harry had a hard time getting over how he had failed Hermione when he'd nearly lost her to the Weasel and the Ferret."

"He still worries about that?" asked Emma, looking to Felicia and Elora, both of whom seemed to share her shock at this revelation, "How? I thought he was able to overcome those fears thanks to his friends?"

"That's what we thought as well," Tyler commented, putting his own two cents into this as he explained, "But we could see it in his eyes: I spoke to him before any of the physical stuff happened last winter and, when I did, he didn't even turn to me once, not even to acknowledge me. Or at least, he didn't until the very end of the conversation and, even then, he tried hiding it behind an air of childish excitement and care for those closest to him."

"And…" Dan asked, though he hesitated before he finished the question, "What about…after the event Tyler?"

"We pretty much stayed out of the way for most of the holiday," Tyler commented, a part of him now aware that they were all listening to what he had to say, "But after he gave us the swords as a gift and dealt with Dumbledore, there was one time that I'll never forget, for two reasons."

"Two?" asked Sebastian, watching as Tyler's cheeks seemed to become flushed with embarrassment.

"Yes sir," he answered, "One for Harry's sake and one for…well, for the first time I thought of Tonks as my girlfriend…"

_Flashback_

_Tyler wandered back towards Godric's Wing, his mind a whirlwind of wonder and strength as to how quickly Harry was changing; ever since he and Hermione had dealt with the Weasel problem by having Godric send him to Slytherin, his liege-lord appeared to be shown in a whole new light. His studies were progressing, his powers were growing and, with the exception of Sebastian, the others were starting to see him as less of their Lord and more of their friend._

_Giving the password to enter the Wing, Tyler began to walk towards the stairway that led to his chambers when a soft sniffling sound had him doubling back, his eyes focused on the door that led through to the relaxing lounge where the Holy Knights would gather on many an evening. Though he knew that Harry saw them as his friends, Tyler also felt that it was wrong to eavesdrop on his lord's troubles; yet, from the sound of the sniffling that came from the room, Tyler found his friendship and kinship for the young Knight overpowering the Code of the Order: Honour, Loyalty, Truth, Unity._

_Creeping to the door, Tyler found it slightly ajar so, peering through the gap in the door, the young warrior felt his heart tear in two as to what he saw: Harry was curled up on one of the couches, his hands trembling, the air filled with the scent and feeling of ozone that came with summoning a storm, yet the room itself bore no signs of elemental damage. As Tyler remained there, he then heard the voice of his Lord speaking and, when he did, Tyler vowed never to repeat this unless he thought it necessary._

"_I failed her," Harry whimpered, "I'm sorry Hermione; I tried and I failed; Dad was right, I let him down; I let everyone down, but I pray that my weakness does not rise up again. I can never allow myself to be distracted; Hermione must come first so that I don't fail her; I failed her, but I will not let my fear come to life."_

_As he stepped back, Tyler turned on his heel and ran towards his room, his own hands trembling as he thought about what he had heard: Harry, the strong, undefeatable warrior that he was, had thought himself weak because of how he had reacted to what Tyler and the Order now referred to as the event. He wasn't weak for that; the fact that he felt so protective and was willing to bend the laws that governed his world to save the one he loved just made him the powerful, noble soul that Tyler knew as his friend._

"_It's rude to eavesdrop you know?" asked an amused voice, Tyler looking up into the eyes of Nymphadora Tonks as she smiled at him, "Is he all right?"_

"_I don't know Tonks," Tyler replied, watching as the shape-shifter took a seat next to him, her arm around him as she tried to comfort him, "I just don't know."_

_End Flashback_

"And what happened after that?" asked Sebastian, his tone indicating that he had not been aware of the meeting or the breach in the Code.

"If you mean with Harry," Tyler answered, "He became stronger and let his emotions tie him to his friends and family; I don't think he's had a real chance to talk about what happened other than references to the event. I mean, you saw him Dan, he felt destroyed for what he had let happen, but he needed to hear the words of his friends before he allowed himself to feel anything."

"And now Lily's back," Remus added, "A son can always talk to their Mother about anything that's bothering them, but Harry, because of this promise he made himself, doesn't want anyone to bear the burden but him."

"And we can't force him," Sirius added, looking to Tyler as he asked, "But what happened with that cousin of mine?"

"I…I got upset," Tyler explained, "She comforted me and, at the end of it, we accidentally shared a kiss; I was embarrassed because I didn't know what would happen but…"

"But now Harry and Sirius have let you take it further," Elora smiled, "And we agree with that; there's no rule for the Order saying that you can't feel love or affection towards others."

"Back to the matter at hand," Dan pointed out, "How do we get Harry to open up?"

"We don't," Remus explained, "We let him deal with it himself and hope that, not too soon, but we hope that he can find someone to confide in and let everything out, before someone gets hurt."

'Or before it's too late,' Emma thought to herself, watching as the others began to disperse, the words of her Father coming back to her once again;

_If you ever meet the blackness Emi; don't let it consume you as it will leave your heart as cold as death itself and love, family and respect: all these things will go out the window._

_**HPHG**_

It seemed to take a lot longer than it should have done, but, eventually, Harry and the band of brothers and sisters known as the Holy Knights finally awoke on the morning of September First, Harry fully aware of everything that was to come with the day ahead. He wondered how many would scream, how many would faint and how many would question what had happened thirteen years ago when they saw Professor Lily Potter joining the Hogwarts staff. Above all, Harry wondered how long it would take for Professor Dumbledore to interfere in his life and try to use his Mother or his godfather to get to him and deal with the events of the year that was to come.

'I won't let him,' Harry thought, watching as each of the adults – Sirius, Remus, Lily and the Order – escorted one of the students to King's Cross by Apparition, much to Harry's chagrin. 'I won't let anyone take my family from me again; I'll sooner let them kill me before that happens.'

Boarding the Hogwarts Express, Sirius, Remus and Lily seemed to repeat the journey from the previous year as they joined the students on the train, Lily once again disguised by the cloak that she wore until they reached Hogwarts. For the first time in four years, Harry also managed to have an uneventful train ride, though, as the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, the wraiths of fatigue and sleep starting to plague Harry's mind, the Arch-Knight had the distinct impression that there was something off here.

Moving with the students up to the school, a typical Scottish autumn storm drenching the students as they made their way to the school, Harry kept his mental defences on full alert, his hand moving every now and again to the scabbard at his belt where Excalibur was stored, his eyes scanning the storm-ridden scene as he tried to figure out what it was that was bothering him so much. Even when the carriage reached the school and most of the students went to get warm in the Great Hall, though most of them were now wary of Sirius, Remus and Harry as they passed them, the young Gryffindor slowly walked to their table and, as he sat down, he saw it.

Over on the Slytherin Table, aside from the usual fourth-years present such as Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and Greengrass, Harry noticed one seat and one name that was missing from the list.

Ronald Weasley, Harry's House Slave and number one with a bullet on his hit list, was _not_ among the Slytherins;

As the Sorting got underway, Harry began to wonder what could have happened, whether or not his less-than-obedient servant was indeed in any danger; surely the House magic would have warned him as it had done so many times before, wouldn't it?

When the Sorting reached its end, Harry's day only being made worse when Colin Creevey, his personal Paparazzi, announced his brother to the House and tried to introduce Harry to the boy, the young wizard watched as Dumbledore got to his feet, his eyes on the hall as he began to speak.

"Before we become overcome with ecstasy with our scrumptious feast, I have a few start-of-term notices and an announcement to make: Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it. As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What?" Harry gasped; though he did not play the game any longer, he did still enjoy watching the matches. He looked around at Fred and George, his once-fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts; we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly.

Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er - but maybe this is not the time...no..." said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament...well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely. The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing about the tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger. The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches. He was not the only person who seemed to be visualizing himself as the Hogwarts champion. At every House table, Harry could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbours. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This -" Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious - "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected."

He seemed to pause for emphasis, the school listening with rapt attention as he continued, "Now, with that done, I think it's only fair to announce that, for the first time in Hogwarts history, we have three new teachers at school this year." Another pause, though Harry did well to ignore the twinkling blue glare that was shot in his direction as the master manipulator spoke up. "First, I have the pleasure of welcoming back Professor Remus Lupin, who has been graciously assigned by the Minister of Magic to replace our recently-departed Professor Binns as History of Magic tutor."

'_Recently departed my arse,_' Harry commented mentally, Hermione giving him a light tap on the arm for his language, '_About time that old fool opened his eyes and saw the real light._'

'_Just wait Sparky,_' Hermione reasoned, '_The fun part's about to begin._'

"Next," Dumbledore continued, "Allow me to introduce a man whom many of you may remember: Professor Sirius Black, recently acquitted and once again recommended by the Minister to take the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher; I ask that you do not judge him on past transgressions and give him the same respect that all teachers deserve."

'_Why do I get the feeling that he wanted to ask them to give Sirius the respect they felt he deserved, which in his case, would be none?_' asked Harry, though this time there was no response.

Dumbledore sent another glare in Harry's direction as he added, "Now, to announce the final member of our faculty, I ask Professor Flitwick to do the honours."

'_Good choice,_' Hermione sent Harry, '_Filius respects Lily so much that he won't allow Dumbledore to interfere; you did well in making sure of that._'

'_Here it comes,_' Harry returned, his amusement on full display as he saw the goblin-blooded professor take the centre of the room, his voice amplified by a Sonorous as he spoke.

"My fellow students and learners of the art; at the request of Minister Bones and an anonymous benefactor – Harry caught Flitwick glancing in his direction as he said this – it is my pleasure to introduce the new Professor of Advanced Charmcasting."

He clapped his hands twice and every head in the room turned to the door of the Great Hall where a white-cloaked figure stepped in, Harry fully aware of the mists that meant the Void was at work here; the cloak, the obscuring hood and the atmosphere of awe and wonder were all arts of AC that had most of the students gasping while those without the talent, such as Malfoy, saw only a white-hooded figure who approached and bowed before Flitwick.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Professor," Flitwick replied, Harry trying his hardest not to laugh as the Charms and Illusions were disbanded back to the Void, "Can you tell us all your name and introduce us to our new colleague and teacher?"

"Certainly Master Filius," a sweet voice replied and Harry's mask of apathy nearly fell as Flitwick's face paled with shock, the new professor turning and, lifting a female hand, lowered her hood, causing most of the students to scream in shock while a gasp of bewilderment spread among each of the students.

"Hello young witches and wizards," the new Professor exclaimed, "Professor Lily Potter; it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Silence filled the hall, but Lily, seeing her son watching her, smiled and, turning back to her mentor, told him, "If you'll excuse me Professor, I think I'll get to know my future students and sit with them for today; Headmaster, if you would?"

Dumbledore tried to speak…and failed, prompting Professor McGonagall to be the one to say it, "Tuck in!"

However, even as the feast got underway, the shock and awe of the students still on the returning Lily Potter, one raven-haired wizard's thoughts, shock and fear were evident for another reason.

'The Triwizard Tournament,' Harry thought, 'Three schools: _the time of the Three;_ Artemis prophecy was talking about the events of this year, but what could that have to do with me and, if it does, how will the Tournament be changed with the _coming of the Fourth?_'

**Chapter 28 and the wheels of fate have been set in motion: needless to say that shock was an obvious reaction to Lily's return and now the Tournament gives Harry an insight to the prophecy, but what does it all mean and will he be able to see it through?**

**Plus, with Lily's return, Sirius at Hogwarts and Remus as a teacher, can Harry learn to open up before his demons swallow him whole?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: As the first week gets underway, Hogwarts is still down one DMW and the students seem to be getting used to the idea of Professor Potter, but the teachers aren't so calm about it, especially the MOP; also, Harry's demons begin to warp his dreams when he has his first vision of things to come, but what could it mean? And, to top it all off, the Holy Knights learn a startling secret about the seventh Knight;**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: This story has also reached its 100th page in my original document, making it my LONGEST story to date;**


	29. First Day Dilemmas

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 28:**

**Zamia: Not only the lead up to the tournament, but what happens in it as well;**

**Loki Palmer: That was a little cryptic message on my part;**

**MariusDarkwolf: I wouldn't worry Marius, he'll be back very soon;**

**Prustan: That's not the kind of Dark that Harry is in this story; he IS more Grey, though he could also be classed as a borderline Light because of his duties as a HK and as a King;**

**T4: That scene was just a moment of amusing inspiration; I have a nice idea on the identity of the last HK;**

**DnG The Blind Guy: While the answer to your question is no, you make a good point in the comparison;**

**Harryhermionealways: Like I'd let that walking weasel off so easily;**

**StormyFireDragon: Then you should enjoy this chapter;**

"_Welcome to Hogwarts Professor," Flitwick replied, Harry trying his hardest not to laugh as the Charms and Illusions were disbanded back to the Void, "Can you tell us all your name and introduce us to our new colleague and teacher?"_

"_Certainly Master Filius," a sweet voice replied and Harry's mask of apathy nearly fell as Flitwick's face paled with shock, the new professor turning and, lifting a female hand, lowered her hood, causing most of the students to scream in shock while a gasp of bewilderment spread among each of the students._

"_Hello young witches and wizards," the new Professor exclaimed, "Professor Lily Potter; it's a pleasure to meet all of you."_

Chapter 29: First Day Dilemmas

Needless to say that, possibly for the first time in history, the Sorting and feast were not the highlight of a wizard's first day at Hogwarts; instead, almost every head appeared to be focused on the Gryffindor Table where, among the other fourth years, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood – which surprised most of the lions, but given her protector, they said nothing – were all having a well-prepared feast with none other than Lily Potter.

The only ones who weren't staring were students like Susan Bones, who was surprised to say the least, but after her Aunt had been made Minister, she learned that Harry Potter and the word normal just didn't go together.

There was also the Slytherin part in this, such as one Draco Malfoy, who was more interested in keeping himself off the radar after getting quite the ear-bashing from his Mother and Father for daring to cross a Holy Knight; not to mention that Potter – Harry – appeared to be more powerful now and, though he was dining with his Mother, he didn't seem affected by it.

The Gryffindors, namely Fred, George, Ginny and, to Harry's surprise, Dean and Seamus were also unaffected by the turn of events, none of them wanting to question either Potter about this; instead, Ginny just gave Harry a friendly smile and continued with her feast.

Up on the High Table, Sirius, Remus and Severus were pretty stone-faced, as were the Order of Pendragon, but the rest of the faculty, namely Filius, Minerva and especially Albus were looking to the Gryffindor Table with eyes of worry and shock; shock in the case of the Lion and Raven Heads and worry in the case of the Headmaster.

Lily was alive?

How?

Had Harry's power advanced to the level where he could transcend the realms of life and death?

Had the combined strength of the Knights been reborn already?

Why wasn't Harry worried about the events of the Quidditch World Cup?

Then, an even worse thought entered Dumbledore's mind: _had_ he even gone to the World Cup and seen the first part of Dumbledore's plan being put into play?

After all, the Weasley Family had been there, as had the Malfoys and most of the school when the Dark Lord's followers, the Death Eaters, had raided the place and sent the Dark Mark into the sky. But why was Harry sitting there like it was just another Sorting and just another day, especially when his own Mother was sitting there?

Deciding to answer the questions that were rising, Dumbledore went for his proverbial Plan A: Legilimency.

No sooner had he extended his probe, before a loud clap of thunder resounded through the school and Albus gasped as he felt the magical equivalent of 20,000 volts coursing through his probe, throwing him out of the path of Harry's mind, but not throwing him off the Arch-Knight's radar. Seeing their headmaster fall out of his golden chair, most of the school began talking amongst themselves, but Severus, who had seen and witnessed the cause of that knockback himself, leaned over to Albus and, with a shrug, remarked, "I would advise against reading any of their minds in future Albus: it would be very bad for you."

"M-M-Minerva," gasped Dumbledore, "C-C-C-Can you ask the Potters to c-c-c-come to my office after the feast?"

"I'd love to Albus," Minerva replied, her voice calm as she observed her two favourite students, past and present, seemingly ignoring the feast's dramatic turn of events. "But I'm afraid I hold no real sway over Sir Potter any longer and, as you know, any meeting he attends, his loyal warriors will follow."

"You _should_ remember that Headmaster," Sebastian commented dryly, "My Lord Potter is not someone you can call like some dog: if you seek to meet with him, I will of course pass on the message, but, as a recognised adult and Lord _and_ Knight of the Elemental Order, his authority and life are both beyond your reach. Professor McGonagall, if you'll excuse me, the Order and I wish to call it a night."

"Good night Sebastian," Minerva remarked, watching as, almost as if on cue, the four Holy Knights rose from their seats, Lily rising with them before they all left the Great Hall, none of the students daring to argue with the authority on display.

Even as Harry left the hall, he stopped in the doorway and, turning back, looked right at Dumbledore before he spoke, "Try to read my mind again Headmaster and you will lose your place in Hogwarts: and that is not a threat, it's a _promise!_"

As he left the Hall, his point was emphasised by the forked bolt of silver lightning that flashed across the ceiling, all of the students returning to the feast while the teachers marvelled at the strength and power of the fourth-year Gryffindor.

"Believe me Minnie," Sirius remarked, addressing the Gryffindor Head, "Compared to his true power, what you just witnessed was like throwing a pebble into the Black Lake."

Minerva and Filius seemed to understand the comparison, the Raven Head also taking notice that one of his new third-years would obviously be protected and remain with Lord Potter's company for pretty much the rest of her school lifetime.

'Miss Lovegood couldn't be in better company,' he thought to himself, a soft smile crossing his face as the feast continued.

_**HPHG**_

As the small company of Holy Knights and their allies made their way up the long and winding Grand Staircase, Harry suddenly gave a laugh as Luna sneezed heavily, her eyes filled with shock as she explained, "Someone must be talking about me."

"I think they're talking about all of us," Harry laughed, "But because the effect is in the air, you were affected by it: though I can't believe Severus didn't think to warn Dumbledore about reading my mind."

"It was funny though," Neville chuckled, taking Luna's arm as they made their way up towards Lancelot's statue.

"Seeing him fall out of his chair and literally knocked off his high horse," Luna added, "It certainly was amusing, though not as amusing as what Professor Snape said to him."

"Now, now you four," Lily chided them, Hermione remaining silent, despite the smile that was on her face, "Respect the headmaster or you'll lose House Points."

"Oh my God, my Mother's gone native," Harry joked, earning him a light tap across the back of his head as Lily chuckled.

"Don't be cheeky Mr Potter," she joked, "I _am_ a Professor."

"Sorry Professor," Harry laughed, all of them now reaching Lancelot's statue as Harry lifted Excalibur and, placing it against the statue's chest, whispered, "Lancelot, the password to our dorm will need changing."

Springing to life, the noble statue bowed to Harry, his head low as he spoke, "Welcome back to Hogwarts my King: what is the new password for this school year?"

"Septimus Virtus," Harry explained, looking to his friends with a soft smile as he explained, "Very appropriate, wouldn't you agree?"

"Seventh Valour, or the seventh power," Hermione remarked, before she brushed her lips against Harry's cheek as she added, "Very appropriate my love."

Once again, Lancelot parted the entrance for the Knights, Harry unlocking the door to the main room, though he had to allow a moment's pause when he heard his Mother gasping in shock at their accommodations, not to mention he also noticed an extra set of stairs leading to the chambers. Sheathing Excalibur, Harry entered the Library and moved down towards Godric's portrait, the occupant beaming with pride when he saw him. "Harry, welcome back dear boy: how was your summer?"

"Never better thanks Godric," Harry answered, his eyes on the portrait as he asked, "Did…did you extend the Wing for us?"

"Not me Harry," Godric answered, "Hogwarts did: she is sentient and, in the four chambers of the Founders, she will use her magic to give you the design that you desire: now, I sense two more Knights among our circle; well done."

"Two Knights and a King," Harry remarked, pulling himself up to his full height as he faced Godric, "Camelot is truly beautiful."

"Indeed it is," Godric smiled, before he looked around and, dropping his voice, he added, "You know, as a Founder's Heir, you can use magic that can be hidden from the Headmaster if you wanted to; magic such as the Gateway."

"But where would I…" Harry began, before he mentally slapped himself as he added, "The Chamber of Secrets."

"Of course," Godric laughed, "Sadly my Wing is not as big as the Chamber, but once you're down there, I think it should provide ample size for you, your friends, your training and, of course, the Gate to Camelot."

"Thank you Godric," Harry nodded, before he turned on his heel and returned to the main room, Neville and Luna watching him as he looked around the room. After a full examination, he explained, "From now on, we'll be using the Chamber of Secrets for our lessons with Sebastian as well as using it for training purposes: Godric just told me that I can use the Chamber to open the Gate if I needed to."

"So what?" asked Hermione, watching as Harry appeared to focus on the stairs that led up to their chambers, "You're going to run a double life as a student _and_ as King of Camelot?"

"Not exactly Mione," Harry replied, returning his posture and gaze to normal as he moved over to his Queen, before he took her in his arms and looked to the others. "I figured out part of Artemis' prophecy: the time of the Three referred to the Triwizard Tournament: somehow, someway, I'm going to be involved with this and so, through Camelot's resources, I have access to training methods that normal students don't."

"Well," Lily surmised, "Unless they changed the rules, your weekends will be free as well as the times that you manage to get off because of study periods, so that means we'd have plenty of time once the Tournament kicks off."

"Maybe we will," Harry told her, looking to the Knight of Light, "But you won't Mum; you're a teacher now and you'd need to be able to keep that guise up: Merlin forbid, and I mean that literally, if Dumbledore learns of an access point to Camelot. He'd be able to use me and my powers in ways that I'd never expect, which reminds me, leave any Knight business to lessons with Seba or here in the Wing, okay?"

"If you say so Harry," Luna told him, before she looked to the stairs as she asked, "What did you do?"

"I changed things a little," Harry told her, "Godric said that Hogwarts is sentient and here, in one of the four Founders Chambers, she'll use that magic to mould the dorm to however I want it. So, for the sake of personal business and privacy, we all now have our own room; Neville and Luna still take the third stairwell and Mum, you take the new one; Ty, if you want to see Tonks, then invite her here, but make sure I know about it, okay?"

"Okay Harry," Tyler replied, smiling proudly as he saw that he had nothing to be ashamed about concerning his relationship with the Auror.

"Minerva and Severus will have provided chambers for Sirius and Remus," Harry told them, "And Severus is continuing with the potion that he gives to Remus, so we're okay there, but the only two people I really worry for are in this room and one of them," he paused to place a soft, warm kiss against Hermione's neck as he added, "Is here in my arms."

"You don't have to worry about me son," Lily told him, smiling as she saw the innocent, albeit battle-ready White Knight of Gryffindor returning within those words, "Thanks to everything Emrys did for me, I have more than enough power to take care of anything Dumbledore tries; you just be careful, okay?"

"All right," Harry sighed, looking to the others curiously as he added, "By the way, did anyone else notice the absence of a certain Weasel at the feast?"

"Not that I'm complaining," Neville replied, "But yes: where do you suppose he's gotten to?"

"Dunno," Harry answered, removing his arms from around Hermione as he moved to the stairwell that led to his room, "But I suppose I'll hear him before I see him: keep an eye out, won't you?"

_**HPHG**_

Alone in their room, Neville and Luna settled down in each other's embrace, the Knight of Fire filled with a sense of angst and worry that must have crossed the bond as he heard Luna ask, "Trouble sleeping?"

"Just thinking about what Harry said," Neville replied, running a soft hand through Luna's hair as he spoke to her. "About the plans that Dumbledore could come up with and about the absence of the Dead Man Walking: what if they're connected somehow?"

"Then Harry should be the one to worry about it," Luna smiled, placing a soft kiss against Neville's lips as she returned to his chest, "I understand that you worry because you're seen as his brother, but really Neville, think about it like the Knight that you are: who could match the power of Camelot _and_ Excalibur and still expect to walk out of there?"

"I guess you're right," Neville smiled, now placing his own kiss on Luna's forehead as he changed topic, "Did you do it by the way? Choose Aunt Lily's subject as one of your electives?"

"I did," Luna answered, "And according to her, there's going to be a surprise for our lesson; I can't wait."

"You know," Neville then laughed, "It wouldn't surprise me if my special, attractive Knight of Sky bonded was someone who could fall into the Void like Harry can. I mean, after what Sebastian said last year about the Ethereals and how someone with the Sight could witness them."

"I remember," Luna told him, "But we both know Harry can enter and leave the Void because his power is higher than ours: but if you're right Neville, then it would mean that there's something special in both of us."

"How do you mean?" asked the Knight of Fire.

"That's the magic of a soul bond," Luna explained, cuddling into Neville's side as they both settled down for the night, "What I have is yours and what you have is mine; mind, body, soul and magic, we are united and that unity makes us both as strong as the other, though there's one point I can agree on."

"And what's that?"

"That it's ironic," Luna giggled, "You being a Gryffindor _and_ the Knight of Fire while I'm a Ravenclaw _and_ the Knight of Sky."

"Destiny has a funny sense of humour," Neville surmised, his worries finally passing as he put his arm around Luna and, hugging her close, gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before he fell asleep, Luna following moments later.

_**HPHG**_

While most of the Holy Knights and their allies slept soundly, up in the first of the three private dormitories, Harry wasn't sleeping soundly at all; he tossed and turned in his sleep, his groans sounding both painful and scared as his dreams racked his mind, voices filling his head that began to creep into his soul.

_Voices Start_

_"You failed me Harry; you killed me: you are no Knight; you're a demon!"_

_"But if Tom is coming back, how can I ensure he follows his destiny?"_

_'You must willingly give your blood to bring him back.'_

_"I…I know; I may be all-powerful and a highly-respected member of the wizarding world, but I'm not fucking Superman: don't you think I was scared when I realised I'd failed her? Failed you? Failed Emma? How do you think I felt Daniel Granger? Like I was on top of the fucking world?"_

_"And you, old man, stay the hell out of my life: how you could allow something like that to happen and to blame me? You're no great wizard, Albus Dumbledore: you're a monster!"_

_"She is now old enough to be considered betrothal material and arrange a marriage contract; when my son had taken something of real importance to her and claimed her as his, I would have brought her up on falsified charges of seducing a pureblood and using the Dark Arts to bed him; no-one would have been any the wiser."_

_Voices End_

Turning over in his sleep, Harry tried to fight off the waves of pain that threatened to enter his mind; finally, unable to take any more, he snapped right out of his sleep, both his eyes shining as he felt Hermione's warmth next to him, her warm, soft touch calming him for a moment as he thought about all he had seen and heard, his mind filled with shocks and pain as he tried to gather his wits and will. He'd thought for so long now that those demons had passed and that he was safe to be with Hermione, but if that was the case, then why was he so lost in his nightmares and why did the visions disturb him so badly?

Clambering out of bed, Harry moved over to the window that overlooked the outside of Hogwarts, his eyes on the rather beautiful looking crescent moon that hung over Hogwarts, Harry now leaning against the balcony as he tried to get his thoughts together.

'_Iris!_' he called in his mind, looking over towards the Owlery; he only hoped that, when he'd sent his dragon off with Hedwig, the other owls hadn't been too intimidated by her.

Moments later, a loud swish of wings filled his ears and Harry smiled as his beautiful blue-scaled dragon glided down from the Owlery and landed on Harry's shoulder, her soft-scaled head brushing against his cheek as she growled with concern. '_My Harry, you seem troubled: shouldn't you be asleep?_'

'_I'm sorry girl,_' Harry replied, running a soft hand over Iris' wings, earning a rolling purr from the dragon as she found herself liking his touch, '_Nightmares._'

'_About your Queen?_' asked Iris, her head turning to look at Hermione; turning away from the night, Harry sighed when he saw Hermione lying there, still fast asleep and, in Harry's opinion, looking more like an angel than she had ever done before.

'_I don't understand is all,_' Harry told Iris, watching Hermione sleep as he kept his thoughts between him and his friend, '_The demons that are worming away inside me are the same kinds of demons from last year; what should I do Iris?_'

'_Well,_' suggested the dragon, '_You have one of two options: you can either allow your worries to grow to the point where even the smallest reaction can turn into a highly-charged storm._'

'_Not a good idea there,_' Harry laughed, petting Iris fondly as he listened to her.

'_Then there is option number two,_' Iris explained, her head nuzzling Harry's palm as she spoke to him, '_And that is to confront your demons; sit down and talk through your pain with your life-mate and your Mother and tell them the whole story about how you feel._'

'_A better option there,_' Harry remarked, looking out across the night as he considered his little familiar's words, '_But how do I speak of something that causes my Hermione so much pain?_'

'_You'll find a way my little Knight,_' Iris answered him, '_You always do._'

_**HPHG**_

Right from the word go things started to change for Harry from the moment he left Godric's Wing, but, much to his surprise, he found it to be all for the better. Dressing in his favourite robes, though all his Hogwarts robes looked the same, Harry fixed Excalibur to his waist, allowed Iris to travel with him by snuggling down under his robe, her tail winding around his arm while her serpentine body appeared to blend in with the folds of his robes and then, when he was sure that they were all set, Harry led his small entourage out of the Wing and down to the Great Hall.

Entering the Hall, Harry and Hermione moved towards the Gryffindor Table while Neville, escorting Luna around like any true soul-mate would, moved over to the Ravenclaw Table, Harry smirking when he saw some of Luna's former tormentors paling at the sight of Luna's sword as well as Lancelot being shown over the shoulders of the two Knights, Harry not even bothering to acknowledge the looks he was getting from the staff. Taking his own seat, Harry began to tuck into a hearty breakfast when, just as he took a bite, Excalibur's song of warning magic filled his ears and, under his robe, he heard Iris hiss threateningly.

Putting down his fork, Harry reached over and stopped Hermione from digging into her own meal, before he nodded once and, reaching back, unsheathed Excalibur, Hermione following suit with Nimueh, both blades now singing as if their blades were made of crystalline materials that had been struck to detect its purity.

'_Potion or charm?_' asked Hermione, watching as Harry's silver eye shone with the power of the Arch-Knight.

'_Both,_' Harry answered; over the summer that he and Hermione had spent in training sessions with Emrys and the Lords, Harry had learned that his Ascension to the rank of Arch-Knight gave him a sixth sense that protected him from charms and potions that affected his will or his bond with Hermione. '_Are you okay?_'

'_I am,_' Hermione answered, '_I felt something pulling at our bond for a moment, but as soon as I heard Nimueh singing and you stopped me, the feeling vanished. Harry, I know we're young, but perhaps we should consider completing our bond soon._'

'_Not a good idea,_' Harry commented, his tone indicating that he was trying to lighten the mood, '_My mum and your Dad would skin me alive if I did anything on that scale so soon._'

As he pulled away from the bond, Harry placed Excalibur against the plate of food before him, his eyes narrowed as the shining light that usually indicated a magical presence now shone with the brightness of the sun itself, most of the students and staff looking in their direction.

Much to Harry's surprise, it was his own Mother, their new AC Professor, who spoke out, "Sir Potter, is there any particular reason that you are trying to blind everyone with the blade of your sword?"

"I'm sorry Professor Potter," Harry replied earnestly, his eyes now on the Staff Table as he explained, "But my magical weapon sensed a threat to my magic and I was about to investigate it."

"A…threat?" asked Lily, both her and Sirius now looking down the table to a certain Headmaster, Dumbledore just watching events unfold as she then asked, "Can you bring your plate up here to me Sir Potter?"

"Now Lily," Dumbledore remarked, his vocal argument telling Lily, Severus, Minerva, Sirius _and_ Remus more than enough. "Surely breakfast doesn't need to be disrupted for something so trivial?"

"Albus!" Minerva hissed, the lion within her cat side coming out as she addressed him, "As every member of this school and indeed most of the community are aware, Sir Potter is a member of the Elemental Order _and_ a recognised member of wizarding nobility: if he is right and there is a threat to his magic, the consequences against the perpetrators would be severe indeed."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence Professor McGonagall," Harry remarked, moving up to the High Table, where Lily, Severus and Sirius each tested the food and the plate, testing it for any signs of tampering.

However, as Harry looked into his Mother's eyes, Lily appeared both angry and suspicious as she explained, "Sir Potter, are you sure about those threats? My scans of your dining equipment and your food indicate no signs of magical influence."

"Hold up Lily," Severus remarked, now looking to Harry's plate as he explained, "There seems to be a very _minor_ trace of a potion of some sort in the china; Sir Potter, until I investigate the potion that has been brewed and apparently washed into your dining equipment, may I suggest that you have your meal provided and tested by a trusted source?"

"Of course Professor Snape," Harry answered, returning to his seat, a small smile crossing his face as he looked to Hermione.

'_Am I affected?_' she asked him worriedly, watching as Harry took his seat next to her, brushing his lips over her cheek.

'_Of course not Kitten,_' he answered her, '_Our bond and my Coronation gave us both the protections, which I don't really need to remind you are reinforced by Merlin himself, against such compulsions. However, if I've said it once then I'll say it again: I love it when a plan comes together._'

'_How do you mean Sparky?_'

'_I had a feeling that, with Mum's return, Dumbledore would attempt to move heaven and earth to get me back on his side; as I approached the table, I picked up on a counter-spell being cast, but even the so-called GREAT MAN can't erase all traces of magical influence. Once Severus identifies the potions, I'll get in contact with Amelia and we'll be saying goodbye to Headmaster Dumbledore and thus, with one fell stroke, I will have dealed with the key source of my problems at Hogwarts this year._'

'_Even though we know that the old fool will attempt to use the Tournament to get to you?_' asked Hermione, unable to help the proud feelings that she had towards her brave King.

'_Exactly,_' Harry assured her, '_Don't worry yourself so badly my Queen; as long as I remain two steps ahead of the Master Manipulator, he'll always be eating my dust and enjoying the taste of humble pie._'

_**HPHG**_

After breakfast, Harry and Hermione both made their way off to their first History of Magic lesson, none of them expecting Remus to actually be any worse than Binns and they weren't disappointed, although Harry had a surprise when the first lesson and indeed first project in their HoM lesson was on none other than their namesakes: the Holy Knights.

At the end of the lesson, Harry began packing up and, just as they were to leave, Remus called out, "With the exception of Sir Potter, Sir Longbottom and Lady Granger, I would like each of you to write a three and a half foot essay on the founding of the Holy Knights."

"Why are they exempt from the work sir?" asked Justin Finch Fletchley.

"Mr Fletchley?" asked Remus, indicating Harry and Hermione, "Who _are_ Sir Potter, Sir Longbottom and Lady Granger better known as?"

"The Holy Knights of Thunder and Ocean sir," answered Hannah Abbot, "But what about Longbottom?"

"Neville is the Holy Knight of Fire," answered Susan Bones, "He was Anointed by Sir Potter himself and became one of the Knights when his power was given to him."

"10 points to Hufflepuff," Remus beamed, "5 for understanding the situation at hand and another 5 for rightfully recognising the titles of two of the most prominent magical users in the wizarding world."

As the students left, Remus then cleared his throat as he added, "Harry, Lily wanted me to tell you to report to her classroom after the lesson; oh, and away from the others, I can say this: your homework is different from the group as I'd like you, Neville and Hermione to write a same-length report on the strengths and experiences of a Holy Knight."

"Yes Professor," Harry answered, leaving the class with Hermione and Neville in tow, the Knight of Fire looking to his blood-brother as Harry appeared to be lost in thought.

"Why do you think Remus really kept us away from the homework?" asked Hermione, the three of them finding themselves on the Grand Staircase as Harry turned to them.

"That's not really a hard question," Harry laughed, "When you think about it: the homework is on the history of the Holy Knights and that is something that we three know about all too well."

"Uh-huh," Neville sighed, before he caught a knowing look being shared between Harry and Hermione; with an almost amused chuckle, he asked, "We're going to do the homework anyway aren't we?"

"Yep," Harry laughed, before he put an arm around Hermione's shoulders as he added, "Well, when you think about it Neville; do you honestly think any boyfriend of this brown-haired beauty that I call my betrothed would get away with ducking out of his work?"

"Erm…no," Neville replied, all three of them laughing as he added, "Shouldn't you make your way down to AC then Harry?"

"I suppose," Harry replied, moving down the stairwell as he added, "See you both at dinner; take care of each other."

Neville, catching the hidden meaning, gave Harry a nod of respect as the Arch-Knight made his way towards the Advanced Charmcasting classroom…

_**HPHG**_

Luna was excited;

She was looking forwards to learning the same material that her fellow Knights had learned and, in Harry's case, tamed over their own year, though now there was an added excitement factor from the fact that she and most of the other third-years were to be learning from none other than Lily Potter, a Charms Prodigy and, as Professor Flitwick had said, someone who was the first person in Hogwarts history to fall into the Void from their first lesson. What made it better for the Holy Knight of Sky was the fact that her Gryffindor friend, Ginny Weasley, was one of the few students who had opted for the lesson, no doubt to try and increase her already threatening repertoire of spells and abilities; however, as Luna looked around, she noticed other students from other houses, which suggested that AC – as Neville had called it – was a multi-house lesson.

As they waited outside, Luna began to wonder what could possibly be bothering Harry so much: ever since earlier that morning, she – and she hoped the other Knights as well – had noticed a sort of unfocused edge to their leader and her King. He had left with Iris in tow and also managed to overthrow some unknown attempt to poison him against the others; however, his posture, his form and his mannerism had been different all throughout the day: he had been walking with a sense of finality and the air of someone who would rather be concentrating on something else.

Whatever was bothering him, Luna hoped he would be all right: Harry had been her third friend – after Neville and Ginny – and he had been the one to trust her with the secrets and powers of the Holy Knights. He didn't call her Loony or insult her knowledge of the Ethereals and, even when he had managed to get back his Mother, now his Professor, Harry had still found a place in his circle and comfort zones for his friends, including Luna.

Shaking her thoughts away, Luna knocked once on the door, the soft, yet authority-filled voice of their new professor calling them from the other side, "Come in!"

Opening the door, both Luna and Ginny were given the surprise of their lives: not only was Professor Potter, dressed in sharp midnight-blue robes, her red hair tied behind her head in a braid, sat there waiting for them, but next to her, covered in a strong golden-coloured aura, was none other than her son, Harry.

"Take a seat everyone," Lily instructed, watching as Luna and Ginny shared incredulous looks at the surprise intervention of the Arch-Knight; as those who could see the aura around Harry all took their seats, Lily turned her head to her son and added, "Show them Harry."

"Yes Professor," Harry replied, before the golden aura around his body began to spread outwards, every surface that it touched suddenly turning to actual gold, before there was a loud roar and, as the students looked around, most of them gasped in shock as a pride of lions suddenly surrounded the class, the glow covering the lions as easily as it had done Harry.

"Now," Lily told the new class, "Raise your hands if you can see the magic empowering these illusions."

Most of them, including Ginny and Luna – much to Harry's surprise – lifted their hands, before Luna turned and locked eyes with Harry, the Arch-Knight smiling as he held his hand over his heart, his focus remaining on the illusions around them.

"For those who can't," Lily explained, "Raise your hand if you can at least _sense_ the magic."

Again, a few of the students that hadn't raised their hands did so on this occasion, earning a smile from Lily while she looked to the small group remaining, her voice calm as she addressed them.

"I'm sorry to say this," she remarked, "But those of you who did not raise your hands for either point will have to go and speak to your Head of House about a new elective: only through sight or sensual experiences can someone understand the true magic behind Advanced Charmcasting. The rest of you, congratulations for passing the first stage of this lesson and also thank you to Sir Potter for assisting me with the lesson today."

As the students took their seats, Ginny and Luna shared a knowing smile with Harry before the Arch-Knight finally lowered his hand and, with a fatigue-ridden sigh, managed to move to a seat near Lily's desk, the new AC Professor smiling proudly at her son before she turned to the group.

"For those of you who are left," she explained, "Allow me to officially introduce myself: my name is Professor Lily Alexandra Potter nee Evans and I am your new Advanced Charmcasting tutor; it is my duty to make sure that each of you understands the subtle art and fine magic involved with AC and I hope that, by the end of the year, each of you can produce a reasonable illusion. Now, for today's lesson, I asked Sir Potter to be here as he is only the second student of Advanced Charms to enter a special place in magic: can anyone tell me what that place is called?"

Several raised their hands, Lily smiling when she noted how the students of this lesson were nothing like what she had feared; they were hanging on her every word and no doubt that, because of the warrior sitting in the corner of the room, they were being _very_ careful as to what they said to her. Indicating her head to one Slytherin student, she asked, "Your name young man?"

"Davis Professor," the boy replied; he was a brown-haired boy with dark blue eyes, his hair grown out to a spiky-styled design that crept over his fringe. "Malcolm Davis."

"Davis," Lily nodded, "Your answer?"

"It's known as the Void," Malcolm explained, "It's a place where the power of Advanced Charms, or Illusionism comes from."

"10 points to Slytherin," Lily beamed, "Five for the answer and five for correctly identifying the real name of this lesson: and that reminds me," she added, now meeting the eyes of all of the students. "I _will not_ have any inter-house rivalries or forms of bullying in my classroom: here, you are all equals except for the progress you make in this lesson; Muggleborn, Half-blood or pureblood, it doesn't matter; do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Professor," the class replied, even Harry nodded as he knew he'd be hearing the same little speech when the fourth-years came to their lesson.

"Now," Lily continued, "As I said before, Sir Potter here is only the second student to successfully fall into the Void, or cross-over if you prefer, and witness the full power of Illusionism; the first, I hold no shame in admitting, was myself and that is why, at an anonymous request, I was offered the place of your professor; now, for my next question, can anyone tell me what was different between those who witnessed the magic and those who actually felt it?"

This time, Lily had Ginny answer the question, the young Weasley actually awed at the presence of the new Professor, "Those who witnessed the magic have a chance to fall into the Void while just feeling the magic shows you have potential for Illusionism; because Harry, I mean Sir Potter and you, Professor, have both fallen into the Void, your bodies glow as well as your illusions."

"Correct on both points Miss Weasley," Lily beamed proudly, glad that there were some _good_ Weasleys still at Hogwarts; she silently hoped she wouldn't have to deal with the newly-referred Dead Man Walking. "Take 10 points to Gryffindor for that answer; again, five for the answer and five for an example of the difference between magic. Now, last year, when he was sitting where you are right now, Sir Potter here was told of the way that the Void affects us in this lesson. Harry?" she looked to her son, who was sitting quietly, his arms folded, an impressed smile crossing his face as he looked to his Mother, "Can you tell us what Professor Flitwick told you last year?"

"Certainly Professor," Harry answered, rising from his seat and moving to stand before the class; leaning rather casually against the desk, Harry smiled and, reaching back, withdrew Excalibur from its sheath before he addressed the now gasping class. "Professor Flitwick told my class last year these exact words: Lord Potter's magic became in synch with the power of the Void and he became lost in their walking and magical presence. Even when I told you all to think on the reason you wished to take this course, Lord Potter was still within that world, his magic, though he may not realise it, using a conduit to equalise the magical input and possible output he would need for his magic. This," he added, now lifting Excalibur with ease, "Was, and still is, that very conduit: does anyone know its name?"

"The Sword of Godric Gryffindor," Ginny answered, recalling the blade from her and Harry's experiences down in the Chamber.

"Half-right Miss Weasley," Harry answered, a sly smile crossing his face as he explained, "But this sword is older and more powerful than you think: let me put it as Professor Flitwick did: the greatest swordsman in the known magic would kill to possess this blade; in his hands, he would consider himself invincible, but without proving his worth, it would be just another blade."

Luna, a born Ravenclaw, saw the riddle as easily as she saw the weapon; when she saw Harry glance in her direction, he gave her a smile and nodded, as if giving her permission to say what she wanted.

"Miss Lovegood?" he asked casually, "Do you know the real name of my ancestor's blade?"

"Yes," Luna replied, "And your ancestor means more than Godric Gryffindor: your heritage is as old as that sword; you're a Holy Knight, a Pure Knight and that sword is the very weapon that gave the Knights their power: Excalibur!"

"No way!" gasped some of the students, Harry smirking as he nodded.

"Yes way," he laughed, "Excalibur: a magical weapon that enhances my own Illusionism abilities and allowed me to fall into the Void from my very first lesson," rising from the desk, he inclined his head to Lily as he added, "Back to you Professor."

"Thank you Sir Potter," Lily replied, a note of pride in her voice as she watched her son return to his seat, "Take 20 points to Gryffindor for helping with the lesson and providing an in-depth, albeit repeated, explanation of your magical prowess; also, Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood can take 5 points each for their answers."

Even as Harry watched the lesson continue, occasionally being called up for examples and being asked about the tasks at hand, at one point, he caught sight of Ginny looking in his direction, a warm smile crossing her face as she mouthed a simple statement in Harry's direction:

"I like her."

'I know she does,' Harry thought with a chuckle, 'I can't wait to see what surprises turn up in my own Illusionism lessons.'

**Chapter 29 and Harry sees his Mother's methods of teaching with his own eyes, but can he overcome the dilemmas surrounding his dreams or will he be lost to the untamed demons inside him?**

**Also, with the Tournament drawing closer, can Harry figure out the rest of Artemis' Prophecy before it becomes too much too late?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Their first DA Lesson with Sirius has Harry appreciating his higher levels of magic; plus, Hagrid has a surprising request for Harry when Iris uses her burning frost for the first time on a returning DMW and the Holy Knights learn a startling secret about the seventh Knight;**

**Please Read and Review…**


	30. Defence, Dragons and Dead Men

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 29:**

**Harryhermionealways: All of Harry's enemies need to learn about the consequences of dealing with trouble; I won't be one to disappoint them;**

**Draehydraxis: That's a pretty good statement there;**

**Loki Palmer: Don't worry, he's coming back, but he's not exactly going to learn his lesson;**

**StormyFireDragon: I hoped so Storm; I'm glad that you're enjoying this;**

**Zamia: Now that things are coming full circle, Harry will have more time for some down time;**

**Cateagle: They sort of meant the same thing; the known magic means that it could be anyone while the known magical world also means anyone;**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: A nice little comparison there;**

_Even as Harry watched the lesson continue, occasionally being called up for examples and being asked about the tasks at hand, at one point, he caught sight of Ginny looking in his direction, a warm smile crossing her face as she mouthed a simple statement in Harry's direction:_

"_I like her."_

'_I know she does,' Harry thought with a chuckle, 'I can't wait to see what surprises turn up in my own Illusionism lessons.'_

Chapter 30: Defence, Dragons and Dead Men

After the surprises of their first Illusionism lessons, Harry and the others began to take a deeper respect for the art in itself: unlike Professor Flitwick, who seemed to have the students trying – and in most cases, failing – to cross over into the Void, Lily had them all meditating on the white mists of the Void, conjured by the combined powers of those who had managed it, namely Neville, Harry, Hermione and, of course, Professor Potter herself.

For their first lesson, Lily had asked her fourth-year class to work on summoning an apparition from within the mists, but not before she told Harry that he had to do it _without _the aid of Excalibur; still, he managed it, but it left him pretty weakened as well as wondering what other surprises could be waiting for the year ahead.

He got his answer Thursday morning before their first Defence lesson with Sirius…

_**HPHG**_

Waking in the familiar arms of his betrothed, Harry felt like he was about to have the _best_ day ever: Sirius in the morning, followed by a free period in which he and Hermione had planned some training down in the Chamber and then, under the warm September sun, they would have Care of Magical Creatures in the afternoon. Dressing in his Hogwarts robes, Harry slid Excalibur under his belt, styled his hair just how he liked it and, turning to a small nest next to his bed, reached out with his hand and tickled at Iris' chin, the little dragon chirping contentedly as she looked up at him.

'_Good morning my little one,_' Harry sent to her, keeping his warm touch under her chin as he watched Iris adjust herself so that she could enjoy the touch of her human.

'_Good morning to you too my Harry,_' Iris replied, now purring as she moved her head down Harry's hand, before she began to crawl up his arm, '_Are you expecting trouble this morning?_'

'_As long as Dumbledore is still headmaster,_' Harry reasoned, '_I'll always be expecting trouble, but now I need to know the limits of my enemies and, for that, I need my secret weapon._'

'_I will always be by your side my little king,_' Iris hissed soothingly, settling herself around Harry's arm as she puffed at the skin on his hand, '_But you have many other weapons at your disposal: why do you call me the secret?_'

With a sly smile, Harry ran a delicate finger over the small spikes on Iris' head, his eyes reflecting in hers as he told her, '_Because I felt your power last night: I know what's happened._'

Settling down under his wrist, Harry turned to the bed and, bending down, was about to give his betrothed a special good-morning kiss when a loud pounding on their door had Hermione sitting bolt upright…smacking Harry in the teeth with her head!

"Ow!" Harry groaned, massaging his jaw where his Queen had hit him, "Hermione; mental note: don't hover over her when she's sleeping."

"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione sang, her delicate fingers now massaging the spot on his jaw as she then asked, "Who is it?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, looking to the door as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Lord Potter," the sharp, well-cut tone of Dante McShane had Harry standing upright, Hermione moving to get dressed as the two heard him. "Captain McDale wishes you both to be escorted all over today: both I and Felicia have volunteered with Tyler and Elora watching your friends: the Captain will keep watch over Lady Evans."

"Why?" Harry, immediately sensing something amiss, asked: the Order had not called him their Lord for nearly four months now. "What's the problem Dante?"

"We received an intelligence report late last night," Dante explained, "Priority One has returned to the Lion's Den!"

Hermione had to cover her ears with her hands as the loudest rumble of thunder in history split the silence of the room: as the Order were a well-defined unit, Harry had begun using such terminology to describe certain incidents that shouldn't be mentioned aloud for fear of upsetting the Arch-Knight. This meant that it was indeed bad news and, as she listened to Dante, Hermione felt her own emotions spiking: Priority One was the worst of the worst and the only thing that beat it was the quote-unquote Prime Objective, referred to when they meant Dumbledore.

Priority One spoke of the Dead Man Walking and Harry's House Slave, Ronald Weasley;

"So," Harry whispered, taking Hermione's hands as he assured her that he was all right, "He's back: thank you Dante, be on your guard at all times."

"Yes Milord," Dante remarked, Harry and Hermione hearing receding footsteps moments later; as the two released their hands, Harry reached around Hermione and, taking Nimueh, began to fasten it to his betrothed's waist.

"No matter what Kitten," he told her, fastening the straps into place, "Go nowhere without this."

"Okay Sparky," Hermione replied, before she watched as Harry, securing his sleeve over Iris' head, appeared to have some unspoken communication with her, before he nodded once and, taking Hermione's hand, led her out of the dorm.

_**HPHG**_

You could cut the tension in the Great Hall with a knife;

The Gryffindors couldn't believe their eyes when, as breakfast got underway, the door to the Great Hall opened and their ex-housemate moved over to the Slytherins Table without either a gun to his head or under any real threats of curses or expulsions. What made it even creepier was the fact that he seemed to be smiling and, as he took his seat, the ex-Gryffindor, the Dead Man Walking, Ronald Bilius Weasley, began chatting with some of the Slytherins, though none of them talked with him.

Then, not three minutes later, the doors opened once more and Harry and Hermione both entered, one of Harry's hands holding one of Hermione's while both their other hands were hidden by their rather admirable long black cloaks, Harry's eyes fixed on the Slytherin Table as he moved over to the Gryffindors. Once Hermione was seated, Harry snatched a quick glance with the High Table, his emotions lightening when he saw that Sirius, Remus and Lily all wanted to carve new holes into the red-haired Slytherin as much as he did.

Taking his seat, Harry looked around the Great Hall, his hand still holding Hermione's as he looked back to the Gryffindors and, fixing a gaze with Fred, George and Ginny, he asked them, "So…where's he been?"

"We…we don't know Harry," Ginny answered; she actually appeared to tremble in Harry's piercing gaze, "The last time I saw him was just before we managed to secure tickets to the Quidditch World Cup."

"Really?" asked Harry, "And…did you go?"

"We did," Fred replied, "But Ron didn't, which is enough of a surprise because he's Quidditch Quackers!"

"Quidditch Crackers?" asked George, an amused tone in his voice, "Thinking of another invention without me dear Gred?"

"Never Forge, never in a million years," Fred laughed, the Gryffindors chuckling along with them as Harry returned his attention to the Gryffindor Table, his mind surprisingly not on his breakfast as he thought about what he had been told.

Ron had missed a big Quidditch event?

Ron?

Mr 'Quidditch-Is-Everything' had missed a major sporting event and was now turning up three days late for school?

Why?

Did this have anything to do with the Tournament or Dumbledore?

'_Sparky,_' Hermione cut in, halting Harry's train of thought as he began to pick at his breakfast, '_Don't worry about him: I'm not; let's only worry about him if and when he tries anything against us._'

'_Clock's ticking Mione,_' Harry replied, his voice filled with warning as he held onto her, '_I won't let him take you from me again: besides, I highly doubt Uncle Dan would like it if he had to have a reason to hurt me again._'

'_Uncle?_' asked Hermione, rewarding her betrothed's thoughts of family with a gentle kiss to his lips.

'_Well I can hardly call them Mum and Dad anymore, so what else would I call them?_' Harry returned, his emotions calming with the touch of Hermione's lips against his. '_But just remember what I said Hermione: don't go _ANYWHERE_ without Nimueh at your side._'

"I won't," Hermione whispered, allowing Harry to return to his breakfast; afterwards, the fourth years all began to make their way towards Professor Black's first lesson, though Harry was none too happy when he noticed that his Defence lessons were _still_ with the Slytherins; so, when he saw Malfoy, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and, worse of all, Weasley all walking towards them, his hand instinctively went to his belt as he massaged the hilt of Excalibur. Seeing this, Hermione took the hand and held it in hers, the eyes of the Knight of Ocean filled with strength as she told him, "Don't worry: remember who has the power now and you'll be fine."

As everyone got into the view of everyone else, the eyes of both the Slytherin Weasley and the Arch-Knight met one another, Harry's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he noticed something else that was off: he could no longer feel the magic from his bond with his House Slave, which meant that it had either been severed or, through some miracle, the Dead Man had managed to earn Hermione's forgiveness.

So lost in thought was Harry that, by the time he returned to reality, he found himself now inches from Ron's face, the young Slytherin smiling confidently as he nodded and spoke, "Good morning Lord Potter, been a while hasn't it?"

"Indeed it has Weasley," Harry returned, deciding to see just how much things had changed as he added, "Though any longer without you and I'd swear I'd died and gone to heaven."

There it was; the twitch above Ron's left eye, his robes no longer bearing the Potter Family Crest: instead, he turned to Hermione and, rather than make some unkind remark, surprised them all as he explained, "Lady Potter, I, Ronald Bilius Weasley, offer you my most heartfelt apologies for any and all evils against you within the past twelve months and for calling you a degraded name: I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

'_Sparky?_' Hermione's mental voice was filled with as many alarms as Harry's, '_He _seems_ sincere._'

'_Remember beloved,_' Harry told her, '_This _is_ Ron we're talking about: the only thing he's ever sincere about is his stomach._'

'_What should I do?_' she asked him, watching as Ron stepped back, but didn't take his eyes off her, '_He's actually creeping me out._'

'_Accept his apology,_' Harry told her, '_But remember what I said Hermione: don't let Nimueh out of your sight._'

Agreeing with her betrothed, Hermione nodded to Ron before she spoke, "Ronald Weasley, for calling me a degraded name and making me feel inferior than I really am, I accept your apology: however, for what you and certain other parties _tried_ to do to me, I do not accept your apology until _I _feel that you deserve it."

"Thank you Milady," Ron bowed, stepping back into line as he looked again to Harry, "Have I earned your forgiveness too Milord?"

"We'll see Weasley," Harry replied curtly, "We'll see."

At that moment, the door to the Defence class opened and, as Harry made his way inside, he thought he could sense a slight magical tingle in the air, his eyes quickly scanning the room as he felt he should be prepared for anything: this _was_ Sirius that they were dealing with.

Harry's cautiousness was rewarded moments later when, as the last student entered the room, the door slammed itself shut and a barrage of stunners filled the air, Harry managing to rely on his agility and Excalibur's blade to deflect the spells while, at the same time, he lifted his wand before he commanded, "_Stupefy Maxima!_"

An orb the size of Harry's head left the end of his wand, shot up into the sky and, once there, exploded into a shower of sparks, the stunners raining down on the four corners of the room; three of the corners emitting yelps before three Disillusioned wizards were revealed, Harry smiling when he recognised Sebastian and Tonks among them, Sirius being the third.

Once the spells had died down, Harry lifted his stunners and watched as Sirius and Tonks moved to the front of the class while Sebastian remained at the back, watching the class as a whole, though Harry had a sneaking suspicion that he was watching a certain Dead Man Walking as well.

"Well done," Sirius beamed, "Lord Potter and Lady Granger were ready for the battle that ensued while the rest of you rushed around like a bunch of headless; so, let's see: I think 20 points apiece for the Lord and Lady and 2 points from each person who did nothing."

"And how is that fair?" asked Ron, Harry smirking inwardly as he considered this a new record; humble to hideous git in a matter of seconds. "Potter and Granger _get _points for waving a little sword around and the rest of us get hit: what if one of us had been hurt?"

"It would have been your fault for getting in the way of Excalibur's path," Harry replied calmly, his eyes on Sirius as he spoke. "This class is _Defence_ Against the Dark Arts and has to be able to show us how to be prepared for the unexpected. No dark wizard will be so kind as to use only Stunners the next time: anything could happen."

"Quite right Sir Potter," Sirius laughed, "5 more points to Gryffindor for that response; Mr Weasley, 5 points from Slytherin for speaking out of turn and asking such an idiotic question. Now, before we all get too excited, I think I should introduce my assistant for this lesson: Auror Nym Tonks, my cousin and a highly-respected member of the Auror Corps; she will be here over the next term as we work on one of the bases of Defence that, looking at your past notes, you haven't really touched on."

"And what's that Professor?" asked Dean Thomas, watching as Sirius leaned casually against the desk, the classroom not even looking like it had in previous times; now, instead of desks and chairs, there was only a crescent of chairs, the centre marked with a field that had Harry and Hermione interested.

"Duelling," Sirius replied firmly, his voice filled with excitement as he explained, "This term, we are going to look at the effects of spells and Defensive measures in duelling scenarios; also, against my better wishes, Professor Dumbledore has also asked me to teach you about the most dangerous of spells and to test your resistance against them."

"Sirius!" gasped Harry, before he corrected himself, "Sorry, I mean Professor Black, are you saying that the Headmaster has asked you to teach us about…the Unforgivables?"

"Correct Sir Potter," Sirius answered, "But we will not be covering that until next month; for today, I think a demonstration on duelling skills is necessary; so, I would like two volunteers and, in the interest of fairness, I would like one Gryffindor and one Slytherin."

Nearly every hand went into the air, both Sirius and Tonks moving away from the duelling stage to where the students were now seated, Sirius smiling as he nodded once and explained, "I will choose, for Slytherin, Draco Malfoy: Miss Tonks, why don't you choose the Gryffindor?"

"I think Sir Potter should be all right for this," Tonks replied, all the students now shuddering as the two life-long enemies stood at opposite ends of the classroom, Sirius looking to the students before he looked to the two combatants.

"Now," he explained, "Malfoy; Potter, would you mind showing us the typical saluting method for a duel?"

Approaching one another, Harry lifted his wand in a salute, Malfoy following suit, though it was a case of déjà vu as the Ice Prince of Slytherin then asked, "Scared Potter?"

"You wish," Harry replied, repeating the exact same phrase used in their brief second-year duelling experience.

Completing the salute, both duellists bowed to one another before they turned and walked back to their respected areas, both Harry and Draco now holding their wands in a battle-ready stance, Sirius beaming proudly as he instructed, "We are now going to see an example of a duel and this time, Malfoy, you _will_ wait for the count of three: if you don't, it will be an immediate detention for failing to listen to instructions: let it be known that the winning combatant is excused from this week's homework. Now, are you both ready?"

"Yes sir," the two replied, Harry's eyes firmly on Draco as he prepared himself for anything.

"Then," Sirius announced, "On the count of three: one, two, three: begin!"

Malfoy began fast; gesturing with his wand, he commanded, "_Everte Statum!_"

The same spell that had started their second-year duel sailed through the air; this time, however, Harry lifted his own wand and commanded, "_Protego: Tarantallegra!_"

The Jelly-Legs Jinx passed through Harry's crafted shield and struck Malfoy, the Gryffindors watching as the platinum-haired Slytherin began doing a crazy dance, his own wand pointed back at Harry, "_Glaciestum!_"

At his command, a powerful Arctic Wind began to blow across the arena, Harry smirking coldly as he lifted his hand, not even bothering to hide his power as the storm dissipated against the power of the Arch-Knight, the eyes of the young Gryffindor now glowing as he faced Malfoy.

"So it's a battle of the elements that you want, is it?" he asked, facing Malfoy head-on, "As you wish!"

With that, Harry seemed to absorb the power of Malfoy's snowstorm, before he lifted his wand once more and, carving it in several untraceable motions, he pushed forwards again, the snow from Malfoy now turned into pure ice that enveloped the young Slytherin.

"Oh would you look at that?" asked Harry, "Frozen Ferret Version 2.0; and I thought that this couldn't get any better!"

"_EXPULSO!_" Malfoy cried, the icy tomb that Harry had summoned now being thrown to the rafters as the Slytherin faced Harry again, "Dodge this Potter: _Constrictivictus!_"

At his words, a large winding chain began to fly towards Harry, the steel wrapping around the Arch-Knight as he looked onwards, Malfoy laughing as Harry fell to the ground…one of his hands stopping him in an instant.

"What?" asked Malfoy, watching as Harry rose again, the chain now being melted by unseen magic, "How are you doing that?"

"It's called fire Malfoy," Harry answered, lifting his wand again, "And this is called the end: _Sectumsempra!_"

Draco cried out; the students gasped and Sirius called the end of the battle as the Slytherin fell to the floor once again, his arm now caked in blood, Harry standing tall and proud as he faced his enemy; in a flash of inspiration, Harry crossed the room and, kneeling down, whispered to Draco. "And should you or that rodent-dropping-brained asshole over there have any desires for revenge, then I suggest that you change your minds, because this time, Daddy won't be here to save you."

Malfoy didn't say anything in response as Harry rose from his position and walked back over to the students, most of them worried by the spell that the Arch-Knight had used at the end;

'Hey,' thought Harry, watching as Sirius continued the lesson with a full explanation and analysis of the duel followed by a number of questions that required full-length answers, 'Can I be held responsible for the reading material that Severus decides to give me as a welcome-back present?'

_**HPHG**_

After their first Defence Lesson, there were mixed reactions between the students as to what exactly had happened, most of them now aware of the power of the Arch-Knight and all of them knowing how stupid it would be to challenge that kind of power.

And then, as if on some kind of autocue, Ronald Weasley opened his mouth;

"I'm telling you," he remarked to the others who would listen, "Potter's nothing more than a dark wizard in training: I mean no-one's ever heard of that spell he used on Malfoy and you all saw what it did to him."

"Perhaps," agreed Theo Nott, "But seriously Weasley, are you saying that you want to cross Potter now that he has seemingly ten times the amount of power since the last time you butted heads?"

"Potter got the drop on me," Ron explained, "But this time he should be watching his back, because I won't fall into his ploys so easily."

"You won't get the chance," a familiar voice exclaimed, making all the other fourth years jump as Harry rounded the corner where he'd been hiding in wait; standing toe-to-toe with his biggest problem, Harry smiled with an air of respective command as he explained, "Because in case you forget Weasley, you lost your freedom to me when your bigheaded brother decided to try and throw our little duel."

"Not so Potter," Ron sneered, unaware of the trap that he was about to throw himself into, "Professor Dumbledore had the Ministry reverse the decision of our duel, claiming it to be nothing more than a defence of family honour; not that you'd know anything about family."

Harry, growing angry with the accusation, then looked past Ron as he asked, "What do you mean by that Weasley?"

"Your parents are dead," Ron argued, unaware of Harry's growing Cheshire Cat smile, "They may as well have killed themselves to escape the dark wizard that their spawn was to become: I bet they spent their lives looking over their shoulders in case you were the one to kill them."

"Yeah," Harry sighed, lifting a hand and brushing at a spot on his robe as he added, "Weasley, look over your shoulder."

Ron did so…and his face went whiter than Malfoy's hair; Lily Potter, their new Advanced Charms Professor, was standing there, her own magic crackling at the insult to her son and her family, her emerald eyes glowing with raw power as Harry then added fuel to the fire, "Hi Mum, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," Lily remarked, knowing her son wasn't being so calm simply because she was his Mother; he was being calm because he knew of her anger. "And I heard enough: Mr Weasley, consider yourself on a week's detention with Professor Snape for insulting the memory of a noble family and daring to bring up events that you know _nothing_ about: also, take 20 points from Slytherin for insulting a student and trying to start a fight. Now, all of you, get to the Great Hall and don't let me hear any of you insult me or my family ever again: am I clear?"

"Yes Professor," the Slytherins replied, Ron's white face now turning sickly as the title was spoken.

Seeing this, Harry laughed and, leaning forwards, whispered, "She _looks_ alive; she _sounds _alive; sure you want to know where the Potter temper _really_ came from?"

Weasley did the first smart thing in his lifetime; he turned and ran from the two Potters, Harry turning his head to look at his Mother as he lowered his eyes, "Sorry about that Mum: I didn't want you to hear that."

"It's all right Harry," Lily replied, putting a comforting arm around her son's shoulders as she spoke, "I wanted to see the kind of trouble that you dealt with from that weasel: now I see it, I know you can handle him."

"What about Dumbledore?" asked Harry, "Now we know how that ass-clown escaped his servitude, there's no telling what he'll try and do, especially with the Tournament coming around."

"Leave Dumbledore to Sirius, Remus, the Order and I," Lily suggested, "And watch your language young man."

Harry just laughed as he escorted his professor to the Great Hall for dinner; however, no sooner had Harry walked through the doors before he found himself with Excalibur in his hand, staring down the familiar face of the Dead Man Walking.

"What do you want now?" asked Harry, "Are you that thick that you ignore a Professor's warning?"

"You're not fooling anyone," Ron laughed, now holding his wand out to Harry in a half-threatening manner, "I don't see Fred or George anywhere so what did you do Potter? Pay them to imitate Mummy dearest?"

"Mr Weasley!" snapped Minerva, "Take another 10 points from Slytherin for disrupting the feast: I can assure you that even your brothers, as kind as they are to Sir Potter, would never think of such a thing: that _is_ Lily Potter and you will show her respect."

"Not before I get my own back on him," Ron snapped, a jet of red light suddenly leaving his wand, its power being absorbed by Excalibur's blade as Ron continued, "You see: Dark Magic and he won't even rise against it."

"I don't need to," Harry told him, "You lost this when you lost what brains you had Weasley: now, if you attack me again, then I won't have any other choice except to see you punished for your actions. After all," he gave a shark-like smile as he lowered Excalibur and began to move towards the Gryffindors, "Thanks to your earlier apology, you're now under the _care_ and _protections_ of House Potter and its Lord and that's, oh, me."

Sheathing Excalibur, Harry felt the spell before he heard it; however, the words were nothing like he had expected, "_SECTUMSEMPRA!_"

"WEASLEY!" Yelled Severus, but he was too late: Harry felt his arm being sliced open, dropping his sword and falling to the ground; at the same time, a loud roar filled the air and Harry picked up a scent, like the ozone, before he heard Ron's own cry followed by gasps of awe and shock.

Looking through the pain, Harry gasped when he saw Iris, glowing with iridescent blue, hovering over his body, her maw opened, releasing what appeared to be a strong silver stream of elemental energy that was freezing Ron's legs to the ground, his screams coming from the burn marks on his fingers.

'_Iris,_' Harry whispered, '_Cool it girl: you look beautiful by the way._'

Easing off her burning frost, Iris flew down and landed by her master's side, nuzzling his wounded arm with a sense of sorrow; at the same time, Harry saw a shadow darken his vision, before he heard Severus' voice in his ear, "Let's get him to my office: I can help him there and Weasley, congratulations, because that's now a year-long detention and suspension of privileges for the rest of the school year for attacking a wizard nobleman, using a spell that you had_ no idea_ how to control _and_ attacking a Lord of an ancient House: also, I don't think points will be enough this time so you are now on academic probation: one more mistake and you _will_ be expelled!"

"Now Severus," Dumbledore began, but, before he could get close, he found nine wands stopping him.

"Back off Albus," growled Sirius, "Harry tried to be lenient to you and your so-called Greater Good, but rest assured that your part in this will be investigated: as Lord Black, I swear it!"

Harry tried not to cry out as he felt Severus lifting him off the ground, Lily keeping close to her son while, around them, Harry sensed the other Holy Knights nearby, all of them close to his side, making him smile as they escorted him out of the Great Hall and down to Severus' offices.

'Mental note,' thought Harry painfully, 'That spell hurts!'

_**HPHG**_

"_Vulnera Sanentur; Vulnera Sanentur; Vulnera Sanentur!_"

Harry listened and memorised what he assumed was the counter-curse to the power of the spell he had used and felt, his arm actually being stitched together by Severus' healing magic, the sense of unity that Harry felt from his friends and family telling him that he wasn't alone.

As if to distract himself from the pain, Harry looked to his Mother before he asked, "Did…did anyone else get hurt?"

"No Harry," Lily replied, "Though I imagine there's going to be a few shocked students after Iris breathed her…fire and ice attack…"

"Burning frost," Hermione cut in, Harry then aware of his free hand being held by his betrothed, "She was…beautiful."

"Where is she?" asked Harry, before he heard a rush of wings and, with a smile, felt his loyal friend and pet settle down on his chest; petting her head, Harry asked, '_Are you okay?_'

'_I didn't mean to scare anyone Harry,_' Iris explained, '_I was just so angry that my Harry was being hurt: I'm sorry._'

She lowered her head in guilt, her soft cooing sounds making Harry feel ten times better already as he continued petting her, before Hermione seemed to join in on their mental talk, '_Iris, I don't know if you can hear me, but my Harry is proud of what you did and I know that I am too: you helped protect him._'

'_Thank you Mistress,_' Iris replied, her eyes on Hermione, '_I hear you as well as I do Harry._'

'_Then call me Hermione,_' suggested the Knight of Ocean, now looking to Harry as she added, '_And you, my king, be more careful what spells you use around that bastard!_'

'_I will love,_' Harry replied, his voice being silenced by a kiss from Hermione as Severus straightened up.

"There," he remarked, looking to the small gathering in his office, "It's done: Harry, I suggest you remember that spell as it will come in handy should anyone decide to use it against you."

"I will," Harry replied, running his hand over the now closed skin, "Thanks Sev."

"Yes," Lily agreed, giving her old friend a smile, "Thank you Severus: I now understand what Harry meant when he said you were keeping an eye on him."

"I made the mistake once before Lily," Severus explained, "It was your son who gave me the chance; I can't afford to lose it again, especially now that…"

"Now that Mum's alive," Harry laughed, looking to his friends as he asked, "Don't we have lessons to get to?"

"You sure you're up to it?" asked Neville, his arm around Luna's shoulders as both Knights watched their leader.

"If I don't," Harry laughed, "Who knows what kind of rumours will be sent up: oh, one more thing: Minerva?"

"Yes Harry?" asked the Gryffindor Head, moving towards the recovering Gryffindor student.

"Would you mind doing me one thing?"

"What's that?" asked Minerva, before she gasped as Harry revealed Excalibur, the blade and its bearer shining with magic.

"Oh nothing," Harry explained, a sly smile crossing his face as he explained, "Just taking a _temporary_ post as the new Headmistress of Hogwarts while the allies of the Lord of Hogwarts investigate the current Headmaster."

Minerva bowed her head, a part of her having already guessed what Harry meant by the Lord of Hogwarts – he meant himself: after all, it wasn't uncommon knowledge that the elemental sides of the Founders came from them being Knights – before she replied, "It would be my honour."

_**HPHG**_

Albus Dumbledore was furious:

The silent partners to Harry had now revealed themselves and, for all intents and purposes, Hogwarts was now against him;

Damn that foolish Weasley for being so reckless when Albus had moved heaven and earth to get his servitude to Harry overturned; he had planned on using the Tournament to prove to Harry that he needed Dumbledore so that, when Tom came back, Harry would have the means to give Dumbledore command over the Holy Knights.

But now, that thought was non-existent;

As he tried planning another way around this, Albus suddenly gasped as he felt a powerful pull against his magic, Fawkes giving a cry before he flamed out of the room; moments later, Dumbledore felt something very precious to him being ripped from his wrist and being sent through Hogwarts where it landed in front of a certain Knight.

Albus, meanwhile, gasped with shock as he felt the wards and protections of Hogwarts' magic being ripped from his body, his magic weakening without the influence that came with being the headmaster.

Moments later, after Albus had managed to define what had happened, the door opened and Minerva entered the office, a broad smile crossing her face as she asked, "Was there something I can help you with _Professor _Dumbledore?"

"Minerva?" gasped Albus, "What…"

"I'm afraid," Minerva replied, "It's Headmistress McGonagall now Albus and, while you're under investigations, I have managed to secure you a temporary post as the new Transfiguration Professor."

"And Head of Gryffindor," gasped Dumbledore, "Oh thank you Minerva; now I can…"

"You must be joking!" laughed Minerva, "No Albus: I have already named my replacement as Head of Gryffindor and it's not you."

"Then who…"

"Professor Black," explained Minerva, "Since I can trust no-one else to maintain order in my old House and keep a close eye on Sir Potter."

"Harry?" asked Dumbledore, "What does he have to do with this? How did you become Headmistress?"

"Did no-one tell you?" asked McGonagall, her smile now becoming that of the Cheshire Cat, "Sir Potter also holds another title: Lord of Hogwarts!"

Dumbledore felt like he had just been thrown into the gates of hell, and this time, there was no coming back;

**Chapter 30 and Dumbledore is out, McGonagall is in and Harry has revealed his full legacy to those who are in the know; with Weasley punished, all of Hogwarts on his side and his family now closer to him than ever, can Harry relax before the Tournament comes around?**

**Also, can the Holy Knights manage to relax without any trouble cropping up?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrive and the Triwizard Tournament gets underway; Artemis' Prophecy comes full circle and, _when Lucifer rides again_, the Holy Knight of Earth finally reveals themselves to the Arch-Knight, but there's a surprise for Harry when he officially welcomes them into the fold; and, to top it all off, Dumbledore is not giving up as Harry gets stronger with the seventh knight being found: how desperate can he be?**

**Please Read and Review…**

**OC SPELLS:**

**_Constrictivictus: _The Binding Chain Jinx: summons a length of steel chain that engulfs a target like a boa constrictor;**

**_Glaciestum: _The Snowstorm Hex: Summons a torrential whirlwind of ice and snow that can freeze a target solid;**


	31. Seven Swords and Surprises

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 30:**

**Draehydraxis: Truer words were never spoken;**

**Cateagle: Well, given that he was meant to have some sway with the Tournament, how bad would YOU take it?**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: Nice little comment there and it does seem like an insult, but you're right about a lesson needed to be learned…and soon;**

**Harryhermionealways: Yes he does, but he doesn't plan on using it, not yet anyway;**

**StormyFireDragon: If you thought they would get off so easily Storm, then you don't know me as well as you think;**

**Loki Palmer: Lovely little warning at the end of your review there; also, it would be right to guess what was ripped from Dumbledore;**

**Jack: well, the _singing_ was her almost sighing as she said it, trying to be cute towards him; not that she needs to try hard around her boyfriend;**

"_Professor Black," explained Minerva, "Since I can trust no-one else to maintain order in my old House and keep a close eye on Sir Potter."_

"_Harry?" asked Dumbledore, "What does he have to do with this? How did you become Headmistress?"_

"_Did no-one tell you?" asked McGonagall, her smile now becoming that of the Cheshire Cat, "Sir Potter also holds another title: Lord of Hogwarts!"_

_Dumbledore felt like he had just been thrown into the gates of hell, and this time, there was no coming back;_

Chapter 31: Seven Swords and Surprises

When Hogwarts learned that Professor McGonagall was now Headmistress McGonagall, almost everyone wagered right as to who was behind Dumbledore being given the proverbial boot. None of them argued against it, though there were several owls from highly influential families questioning the word of _a mere boy_ against the great Albus Dumbledore; Minerva managed to stop those instantly, though it did help when Harry, having enough of the letters, announced to the whole school that he would personally feed any more owls that bore those letters to Iris if he saw them.

Now though, as September began to leave them behind and October drew closer, talk turned to the one key thing on everyone's mind: the Triwizard Tournament and the visiting delegates from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. With Sirius in charge of Gryffindor – a truth and revelation that was welcomed by every member of the Lion's Den – Harry found himself safe enough to return to the Tower from time to time and, on one such evening, talk turned to the Champions and what people would do with the winnings.

"If it were me," Fred Weasley explained, all of their company lounging around the fireplace, "I would use those winnings to acquire the means for George and I to start our own business."

"Which you already have," Harry reminded them, "We talked about this last year when I gave Ginny her gift and made that ass-clown brother of yours look like more of a dunce than he already is."

"Oh yeah," Fred laughed, George chuckling in agreement as he asked, "So what would someone like the Great and Powerful Holy Knight of Thunder do with those winnings then?"

"Who's saying that I want to enter?" asked Harry in counter, before a sad, expectant smile crossed his face as he added, "But you'd be right to ask Fred; after all, if the past years are anything to go on, I'd be willing to…bet…that…"

"Harry?" asked George, all the Gryffindor gathering now looking to their Alpha Male; perched comfortably in the spot between his feet, Hermione looked up and felt a modicum of realisation coming across the bond, the eyes of her betrothed were filled with realisation.

'_What is it Sparky?_' she asked, using his little nickname to get his attention.

'_Artemis' Prophecy,_' Harry answered, his eyes on the twins as he cleared his throat and added, "Sorry guys; I'm going to have to go."

"Wha…" the twins chorused, before Harry was up and out of his seat, Hermione apologising to the twins as she followed him upwards towards the Wing, the Arch-Knight almost relieved when he found every member of his entourage, including Lily, Sirius and Remus all gathered in the meeting room.

"Harry?" asked Lily, noticing a shocked, disbelieving look in her son's eyes, "What is it?"

"Artemis' Prophecy," Harry told them, all of the Holy Knights taking notice as Harry took his seat at the head of the table, "It's going to come true."

"We know that," Luna remarked, though she was worried for her leader; she had never seen him so determined to get the answers out, "She is the Lady of Darkness after all Harry."

"It's more than that Luna-girl," Harry told her, a soft smile creeping across his face as he explained, "I…I solved it: I know what it means."

"You do?" asked Sirius, Harry then aware of the Order now joining them; no doubt Sebastian had been informed of Harry's hasty departure from Gryffindor Tower. "Do tell."

"All right," Harry nodded, his voice calm as he began his explanations, "We all remember the words of the Lady of Darkness, don't we?"

"Yes," Luna answered, the others nodding in agreement as the Knight of Sky repeated the words of the Lady of Darkness;

_The swords of destiny shall be as one when the time of the Three shall be changed with the coming of the Fourth; where the Four shall meet to become the One, there shall the Snake be reborn; only through his heart and soul shall Number Four hold the strength to make the Snake into the warrior he once was; the time of the Three shall begin when Lucifer rides again._

"So how have you figured it out?" asked Neville, watching his leader as the Arch-Knight appeared to calm himself thanks to Luna's almost melodious voice; whether it was irony or something to do with her Sky abilities, Neville didn't know, but his girlfriend's voice had recently acquired a sort of birdsong-like edge to it that seemed to be able to calm even the most tense of people.

"I was talking with Fred and George," Harry explained, "And we were discussing what we'd do if we won the Tournament; however, when I made a remark about my run of bad luck lately, it hit me."

"How?" asked Lily, "Are you sure that you've got the right answers son?"

"I am Mum," Harry answered, looking to his team before he began his explanations, "We already know that the _time of the Three_ referred to the Triwizard Tournament, but it was the _coming of the Fourth _that had me worried; Artemis said that _where the Four shall meet to become the One, there shall the Snake be reborn;_ what she meant was the final task of the three: where four, as in _four champions_ shall meet to become the One, as in the One True Triwizard Champion."

"But Harry," Luna pointed out, Harry not minding as his sister-in-arms cut him off, "A Triwizard Tournament will only have three champions, won't it?"

"Perhaps," Harry agreed, "That would be the normal thing for the tournament, but we already know that there are forces out there that will choose to stand against me and, in one such case, I'd bet every ounce of gold in Camelot's Treasury that those forces will try and find a way to name yours truly as the Fourth Triwizard Champion."

"It would make sense," Sirius agreed, looking to his godson as Harry continued with his explanations.

"Yes it would Sirius and, thanks to that notice a few days ago, we also know that the other schools will arrive on October 30th, the day _before_ Halloween; the day that, according to most magical legends, shows a weak-point in the forces of light and darkness, life and death; translation…"

"When Lucifer rides again," Hermione finished, earning a nod and a small kiss on her cheek from her betrothed, "That will be the day that everything changes."

"In more ways than one," Harry told her, before he added, "And through my becoming the Fourth Champion, we also have the final part of the prophecy: _only through his heart and soul shall Number Four hold the strength to make the Snake into the warrior he once was;_ that's referring to my blood being offered to a certain Dark Lord we know and loathe."

"Voldemort," Lily whispered, earning a flinch from Sirius and Remus, "He's coming back."

"He's…the Snake," Remus added, Harry now nodding in agreement.

"He is," commented the Arch-Knight, "And, as we know, it will be when we meet Tom that the Seventh Circle will be forged, thus completing the unity and formation of the Holy Knights, with me as their leader."

"But there's one little snag to your theory and the plan," Neville suggested, "We have no idea who the last of our gathering will be: if they're meant to reveal themselves, then why hasn't the Order, Excalibur, Aunt Lily or even you Harry found them?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Harry, a crafty smile crossing his face.

"It is," Luna commented, looking to Neville as she decided to fill in the blanks, "When you think about it Neville, Harry's right: it _is_ pretty obvious."

"That what?" asked Neville.

It was Hermione that answered his question;

"The last of the Holy Knights, the Holy Knight of Earth, is to be someone from either Beauxbatons or Durmstrang."

_**HPHG**_

There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter. When the bell rang early, Harry, Neville and Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back downstairs into the entrance hall, all of the Holy Knights bearing their swords while, under his cloak, Harry also had Iris hidden in case of trouble.

The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

"Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair." Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait. "Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall. "First years in front...no pushing..."

They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Harry, standing between Neville and Hermione in the fourth row from the front, saw Dennis Creevey positively shivering with anticipation among the other first years.

"Nearly six," Harry overheard Weasley commenting, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?"

"I doubt it," said Hermione.

"How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky.

"I don't think so...not from that far away..."

"A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?"

"You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Hermione impatiently.

They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual. Harry was starting to feel cold. He wished they'd hurry up...Maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance...He remembered what Mr. Weasley had said back at the campsite before the Quidditch World Cup: "always the same - we can't resist showing off when we get together..."

And then McGonagall called out from the back row where she stood with the other teachers, "Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest.

Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Don't be stupid...it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.

Dennis's guess was closer...As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backward onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.

Harry just had time to see that the door of the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened.

A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harry saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped.

Harry had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in his life, and that was Hagrid; he doubted whether there was an inch difference in their heights. Yet somehow - maybe simply because he was used to Hagrid - this woman (now at the foot of the steps, and looking around at the waiting, wide-eyed crowd) seemed even more unnaturally large. As she stepped into the light flooding from the entrance hall, she was revealed to have a handsome, olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers.

McGonagall started to clap; the students, following her lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman.

Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and, much to Harry's surprise, she walked forward toward Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it.

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dort," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"If only that were true dear lady," said Dumbledore, Harry then aware of those twinkling blue eyes flicking in his direction, "Due to circumstances beyond my control, I'm afraid I must hand you over to the new Headmistress, Professor McGonagall."

"My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her.

Harry, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that about a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what Harry could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces.

"As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment," said McGonagall, now appearing next to Dumbledore in case, like Harry, she suspected trouble. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other - er - charges."

"My steeds require - er - forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong..."

"I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling.

"Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?"

"It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing.

"Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps.

"How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnegan said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry.

"Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them," said Harry.

They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky.

For a few minutes, the silence was broken only by Madame Maxime's huge horses snorting and stamping. But then –

"Can you hear something?" said Ron suddenly.

Harry listened; a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed...

"The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!"

From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the centre; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks -and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor.

What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool...and then Harry saw the rigging... "It's a mast!" he said to those around him.

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank.

People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them, Harry noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle...but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur. But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair.

"Dumbledore!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied. Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, though the old man had to repeat his statement about handing Karkaroff to McGonagall, a truth that Harry noticed did _not_ sit well with the other Headmaster, he shook hands with both of his own.

"Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, and Harry noticed that his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd. "How good it is to be here, how good...Viktor, come along, into the warmth...you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold..."

Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows.

"Bloody hell," Harry heard Weasley remark, "It's Viktor Krum!"

"Who?" asked Harry, now following the students back up to the main entrance of the castle.

"He's a Quidditch player," Hermione explained, joining Harry at the Gryffindor Table, the usual feast decorations now replaced by four House-coloured banners with the animal representations of the Founders. At the High Table, there was a large golden banner with the Crest of Hogwarts and a dragon encircling the crest. "Supposedly the overseas fame version of you Harry."

"That's all I need," Harry sighed, "Some big-headed blowhard on top of two schools and, wait, Hermione…do you see those girls?"

Hermione, following Harry's gaze, looked over to the Ravenclaw Table where several female members of the Beauxbatons students were sitting and waiting for the announcements, though, when she looked to the spot usually acquired by Luna – who was seated with her friends at Gryffindor at that moment – Hermione saw it too.

A rather young-looking girl with almost silvery-blonde hair and eyes that were shining like sapphires; she had a kind smile and, like the other students of the school, she had a sort of angelic aura to her. At her side, looking more excited than awed and scared, was a younger girl with the same colour hair and bright blue eyes that shone like aquamarine; the younger girl looked no older than eight or nine, but she had an air of magic to her like the girl she was sat next to, who looked to be nearly eighteen, maybe nineteen.

"Harry," whispered Hermione, "Have…have we met them?"

"I…I don't think so," Harry told her, his hand now moving down towards Excalibur's blade, his eyes on the two mysterious girls, "But then why…"

"Why do they seem so familiar?" asked Hermione, Harry nodding in agreement; looking away from the Ravens, Harry opened the link that he had discovered over the summer; a bond that was different from the one he shared with Hermione that allowed him to communicate and locate the other Holy Knights under his banner.

'_Mum,_' Harry sent, Lily starting for a moment before she met her son's eyes, '_Two girls; Ravenclaw Table; look like sisters: do you know who they are?_'

'_I'll find out,_' Lily replied, before she leaned over diminutive Professor Flitwick and asked, "Begging your pardon Madame Maxime, but two of your students appear to have captured the attention of my son and his friends: could you perhaps tell me their names?"

"But of course Mademoiselle Potter," Madame Maxime replied, "Zey are two, 'ow you say, sisters in my gathering; highly respected members of ze French Wizarding Community; ze eldest iz called Madame Fleu Delacour _et elle soeur est_ Gabrielle: if I may say so, it iz an 'onour to be speaking with you."

"Merci," Lily answered, before she sent the information back to Harry via their link.

'_Thanks Mum,_' Harry replied, settling in his seat as he looked back to the Ravens, 'Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour: why would _two_ people attract my senses so much?'

_**HPHG**_

Harry's dilemma plagued his mind all night and into the next day: after an Advanced Charms lesson with his Mother, Harry then decided that, before the time that was stated in the prophecy, he would get some answers. Retrieving the Marauder's Map, Harry activated it and, spreading it out across the table in the wing, he placed Excalibur's tip against the map and commanded, "_Locus _Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour."

The map began to glow with a strong silver light, before all the names that covered the map seemed to dim in appearance, two particular names – which Harry found to be out by the greenhouses – shining with the same light as the Arch-Knight then added, "_Locus Finite_; Mischief Managed."

Leaving the Wing, Harry followed his mental map of Hogwarts down to the greenhouses, his body standing tall and proud as he kept Excalibur under his belt, his voice remaining strong and his heart slowing to a patient, albeit almost expectant feeling that spawned inside him and threatened to bring the worst storm in the world to Hogwarts.

Arriving at the edge of the greenhouses, Harry allowed his mind to reach out, seeking out the presence of the two French witches; when he found them, he was surprised as he sensed their willingness to welcome him into their circle as well as a foreknowledge that he was looking for them. Without much to worry about, Harry turned the corner and, outside greenhouse three, he saw them: the two French witches that had grabbed his attention from the first moment he had seen them.

"_Bonjour Monsieur_," Fleur Delacour spoke up, breaking the tension as she asked, "Were you, 'ow you say, looking for _ma soeur et moi_?"

"I was," Harry replied, actually grateful for that vacation in France before their third year, "I don't mean you any harm and I'm sorry for intruding on a private moment, but, well…I've been…_feeling_ things towards the two of you."

"We understand," Fleur smiled, Harry actually liking her smile as she approached him, "My sister and I are Veela-blooded; we 'ave zis…allure that draws males towards us."

"NO!" Harry yelled, his voice may as well have echoed all over Hogwarts as he told her, "No Mademoiselle Delacour; the feelings I feel are not _those_ feelings: I already have a soul-bonded and betrothed who has that honour. No, my feelings are of something…else."

"Else?" asked Gabrielle, now moving next to her sister as she told Harry, "_Je suis desole: je ne comprends pas._"

"Believe me Mademoiselle Delacour," Harry laughed, "Neither do I: no, you see, the feelings I sense from and towards the two of you are…powerful."

"Ah," Fleur then smiled, before she asked, "Pardon my, 'ow you say, abruptness? Are you Monsieur 'Arry James Potter?"

"I am," Harry answered proudly, straightening himself up as he asked, "You've heard of me?"

"Everyone 'as 'eard of you," Fleur laughed, before she stepped back and, as Harry watched, both her and Gabrielle seemed to curtsey before him, their heads lowered as they spoke in unison, "_Mon capitan; _we 'ave found you."

"Captain?" asked Harry, a part of him finally clicking the missing piece of the puzzle into place: it seemed impossible; there were _two_ of them and one of those-who-Harry-suspected they were;

"Oui," Gabrielle replied, before she looked to Harry as she explained, "_Ma sœur et moi sommes Chevaliers Saints; Les Chevaliers Saints de la Terre et la tempête."_

That knocked Harry for six: _My sister and I are Holy Knights; the Holy Knights of Earth and the Storm_.

'I've found them,' he thought, 'But how can there be _two _Holy Knights of Thunder?'

"Could you two come with me?" he then asked, "I think there's someone I should introduce you to."

**Chapter 31 and the last of the Holy Knights has been revealed, but how are there TWO Holy Knights of Thunder, presumably Pure Knights, if Harry is, or WAS the Holy Knight of Thunder himself?**

**Also, with the prophecy revealed, what will Harry do to ensure his plan is seen through to the end?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Dumbledore is not giving up as Harry gets stronger with the seventh knight being found: how desperate can he be? Also, the Champions are announced and Harry, after learning of Fleur and Gabrielle's revelations, goes to the only person he can think of with the answers he needs: Merlin!**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: From now on, Fleur and Gabrielle's French speaking will be written as English with an indication they're speaking French; like italics or bold writing or something like that;**


	32. Artemis' Gift

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 31:**

**Draehydraxis: Thanks for your comment and I happen to agree with it; I mean the answer was pretty obvious;**

**Tiger27: I have read your PM with great detail: I am glad that you consider this story so good and I actually agree with some of the ideas; remember that, in this story, there WON'T be a Voldemort against Harry; he'll be all-Tom, so some of those ideas I agree with;**

**Bribles: Yeah, I noticed that after posting it; I'll make sure to fix it;**

**Ladygoddess8: Yeah, the reasoning is pretty obvious, but, until he explains it all, Harry doesn't know that does he?**

**DarkHeart81: Plenty of time and plenty of opportunities; maybe a little sneaky something that will leave people amused;**

**Jediprankster: I guess that some explanations were needed; also the Ron moments were kept in because of how the students were gathered together; like it or not, the DMW was the one speaking; **

**Zamia: Like he can say anything and besides, when Harry becomes champion, all the wizarding world, particularly a certain _bugging_ reporter is in for a few surprises;**

**StormyFireDragon: The answer is pretty easy to see Storm; most people did figure it out, but I left it like that for an emotional kind of set-up for what is to come: remember that, Tournament wise, Harry and Fleur are meant to be rivals;**

**Harryhermionealways: yep and it will all start with the aftermath of the Naming Ceremony for the Tournament;**

**Loki Palmer: Thanks for pointing that out, but I solved that little problem with a little change in writing;**

**MariusDarkwolf: Thanks for the idea Marius; if you look at the top of this chapter, you'll see I've changed the style to suit that idea;**

"_Oui," Gabrielle replied, before she looked to Harry as she explained, "Ma sœur et moi sommes Chevaliers Saints; Les Chevaliers Saints de la Terre et la tempête."_

_That knocked Harry for six: My sister and I are Holy Knights; the Holy Knights of Earth and the Storm._

'_I've found them,' he thought, 'But how can there be two Holy Knights of Thunder?'_

"_Could you two come with me?" he then asked, "I think there's someone I should introduce you to."_

Chapter 32: Artemis' Gift

Guiding Fleur and Gabrielle up through Hogwarts' maze of hallways, Harry found their path towards the Lion's Wing easy to access, very few students moving to stop him as he still had Excalibur at his side, his eyes fixed with a look that was defined as a man on a mission. Stopping before Lancelot's statue, Harry turned to them, his silver eye still flashing dangerously as he spoke to them, "If you are who you say you are, then know that you have my trust, so I hope that my password and the secrets of my Wing are kept to yourselves."

"But of course," Fleur replied, "We are, 'ow you say, aware of ze secrets of ze 'Oly Knights and you as their leader; we shall oblige with your request Lord Potter."

"Thank you," Harry sighed, before placing the tip of Excalibur against Lancelot as he added, "Septimus Virtus."

When the passageway into the Wing was revealed, Harry led Fleur and her sister into his chambers, the only other signs of habitation at that moment being Dante and Elora from the Order, any other magical signs that Harry could feel from his allies were around Hogwarts. Opening the link to its fullest potential, Harry called out, '_All Holy Knights to the Lion's Wing right now: we have a situation._'

'_I'm speaking with Dumbledore at the moment Harry,_' Lily sent him back, '_I'll try and keep my mind on you so he can't read my thoughts: are you okay honey? You sound a little distressed._'

'_I'm fine,_' Harry answered, now moving his attention to a specific person, '_Where are you Mione?_'

'_Tower,_' Hermione answered, '_Neville and Luna, I believe, are down in the _training chamber _with Sebastian: are you sure you're all right my love?_'

'_You'll see for yourself when you get here,_' Harry sent her, '_Have the team meet me here as soon as you can Kitten: and be careful, my leaving you on your own once before had us both hurting._'

'_I know,_' Hermione returned, a warm, supportive wave of empathy being sent over their bond, bringing a smile to Harry as he severed the link before looking to Dante and Elora, both of whom could see the tension in their Lord's eyes. Giving them his best reassuring smile, Harry then switched into the role of their Lord as he commanded, "Go and find Tyler and Felicia: the entire Order should be here to hear this."

"As you command Harry," Elora replied, leaving the room through the tunnel that led to the seventh floor while Dante, watching Harry warily, then looked to the other two ladies accompanying his Lord; having been around with Sebastian for some time, Dante also knew the pull of a Veela and, as soon as he looked to the elder of the two women, he felt it, stronger than ever.

A theory came to Dante's mind as he tried to put the pieces together, but he left it for his commander, his friend and his Lord to explain…

_**HPHG**_

It took nearly forty-five minutes for everyone to gather in the Lion's Wing and for Harry to calm his emotions enough so that he could speak freely, calmly and clearly enough. Seated in the main entrance room of the Wing, around the ornate Venetian Oak table that almost divided the rooms and chambers left from right, the three passageways that led up to the main chambers shadowed in Harry's background as he stared around the room. Sat at the head of the table, Hermione on his left and Sebastian on his right, Harry cleared his throat before he indicated the two newcomers and, without hesitating, came right out and said it.

"Allow me to introduce Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour…our newest Holy Knights."

The reaction was as he had expected: stunned silence followed by several members of the gathering – namely Neville, Sebastian and Lily – falling over their words before the Order's Commander asked, "Lord Potter, are you certain of this? We know that there is _one_ more Holy Knight; the Holy Knight of Earth and…"

"And zat is me," Fleur explained, looking to Sebastian from her end of the table, Gabrielle next to her; the Order were seated next to Sebastian while the Knights were next to Hermione. As leader, commander and King of the Knights, Harry took the main chair so that he could witness the entire table and notice any and all reactions when it was necessary to do so. "We cannot explain 'ow zis has 'appened, but it iz true Monsieur McDale: my little sister and I are 'Oly Knights."

"And if you can't believe her," Harry told his first noble warrior, "Then use that seeking ability of yours: you'll see it."

Sebastian did as he was asked: taking several deep breaths, he tapped into his power and extended his nobleman's sense of fealty outwards: this was the ability he had spoken of the year before when Harry, Luna and Hermione were talking about Ethereals on the Hogwarts Express. As soon as he lowered his shields around his sixth sense, Sebastian actually gasped: not only could he sense the waves of power rolling off his young Lord and commander, but there was also the power of Lady Lily and, just as he reached out, Sebastian felt it, exactly as Harry had said. A double wave of pure Knight's power that came from their two newcomers: the identity was unquestionable, but as he looked at their power, Sebastian did find a question coming to his lips.

Glancing back at Harry, who to Sebastian's sixth sense appeared to make the Arch-Knight glow like the setting sun, the commander asked, "My Lord Potter, how is it that I can sense the two Knights' signatures as being one that we already have among us?"

"If you mean how can little Gabrielle Delacour be radiating the aura of the Holy Knight of Thunder," Harry countered, earning more gasps from the table as he spoke, "Then your guess is as good as mine."

"I have a theory," Hermione then spoke up, taking Harry's hand as she shared in the calm demeanour of her betrothed, "If Harry is now known as the sole Lord of the Elements, or the Arch-Knight as they call him, then it's clear to me that the lineage of the Holy Knight of Thunder must have passed on from Harry when he was crowned. This means that…"

"A sibling of a Holy Knight _became_ a Holy Knight," finished Luna, Hermione nodding in agreement with the Knight of Sky's explanations; even Harry thought it made sense: Fleur, as a student and guest to Hogwarts, was currently the only Knight living that held a sibling. Of course, Harry had Neville as a blood-brother and, were he alive, his Mother would have probably had James Potter or – Merlin forbid – his Aunt Petunia! Now _that_ was a thought to give him nightmares for weeks: a woman that couldn't stand magic being one of the most powerful wizard-blooded warriors in the world: there was irony for you.

"If this is true," Neville added, smiling at his girlfriend as he seemed to share her understanding of the situation: then again, it helped that they were soul bonded. "Then it means we now have eight Holy Knights of the Elemental Order instead of seven and the worst of them is still unavailable to us."

"Yes," Harry growled, sharing an almost saddened expression with his Mother, "Tom Riddle: the Anointed Holy Knight of Darkness, but let's focus on the main dilemma here: we have less than a few hours before we have to be down at the feast for the naming ceremony…"

"Pardon," Fleur then spoke up, "But if it iz my, 'ow you say, strength and power zat you wish to see, then I should inform you zat I 'ave entered ze Tournament's nominations for ze Beauxbatons Champion."

"That's fine," Harry smiled, deciding to keep the secret of Artemis' Prophecy from the sisters until he had some answers, "But as I was about to say: we have a matter of hours before then, so I suggest we wait until the main business of today is over and done with: then, tomorrow morning, I will take you and Gabrielle down into one of the Chambers I own here at Hogwarts and, from there, we'll be able to get some answers."

/_I am sorry_,/ Gabrielle piped up, her French language rolling off her tongue as she looked to Harry, /_I am afraid that I do not understand you Captain: where can we get answers in this school?_/

"Somewhere that's not in this school," Harry answered, his eyes on each of the Knights as he noticed they all appeared to understand her foreign language, "Somewhere where the answers will be available and we'll be able to talk more without fear of being overheard: and don't worry," he then added, smiling at the little girl that was almost…cute in his eyes, like she was _his _sister. "I get the feeling that everyone here understood what you just said, so if you need to speak French, then do so: we'll still understand you."

"Thank you 'Arry," Fleur smiled, Harry then aware of Sebastian and Dante becoming uncomfortable in their seats, not to mention Sirius actually looking like he was about to go catatonic.

"Looks like not all of us are immune to the Allure," Harry laughed, Remus now shaking his head: it was actually thanks to his wolf half that he _was_ immune while he knew that, because of the powers of the Knights, not to mention their soul bond, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna only had eyes for their other halves. Clearing his throat, Harry continued, "For the rest of the day, we just need to relax: according to the notice posted around school, the Naming Ceremony will take place at 9pm, so, if nobody minds, there's a rather special bit of business that I need to tend to and, as much as I want to do otherwise, I'd like to leave the school for the afternoon."

Without saying another word, Lily rose from her seat, moved around the table and placed a light hand on her son's shoulder, a part of her in agreement with his suggestion: all day, Dumbledore had been getting on her nerves, asking questions about Harry's lineage and how she, as his Mother, could just stand there and let him do this. The _business_ that Harry needed – though she also suspected that he _wanted_ to do it – to do was a way for the future to be set in stone for the Lord of Hogwarts.

"Say no more Harry," Neville finally spoke up, looking to Sirius and Remus as he added, "I don't think anyone here would argue against the Lord and owner of this school leaving the grounds."

"Of course we wouldn't," Remus told him, nodding to Harry and Lily as he explained, "You two, or three if Hermione wishes to go with you, get yourselves off and the rest of us will keep an eye on things here."

"Thank you Remy," Harry smiled, now rising from his seat as if he were in Council with the Lords of Nature, "Then for now, let's say no more about this mystery: oh, and Fleur?"

"Yes 'Arry?" asked the newly-recognised Knight of Earth.

"Good luck for tonight."

_**HPHG**_

Remus' words proved true: no sooner had Lily told the Headmistress that they _needed _to be off campus for a little while than she, Harry and Hermione found themselves travelling by Side-Along Apparition to the main gate of Harry's family home of Albion House. Standing there, a mild autumn chill gave Harry a shiver that made him feel worse than any loss or nightmare could manage: taking the hand of his Queen, he smiled before he asked, "Would you give Mum and me a few moments alone Mione?"

"Of course I will," answered Hermione, now nodding to the house behind them, "No doubt Mum and Dad will be home so, if it's okay with you, I'll wait for you inside."

Lily just nodded in agreement as Hermione turned and made her way up the garden path, Harry now moving with his Mother through to the graveyard: as they walked, Harry lifted his hand, the familiar mists of the Void rising around them; as they took each step, Harry poured power into the Void, creating a strip of red, blue and silver lights that were like fairy-light candles floating on the air, lighting the way towards their destination. Seeing the power in her son, Lily clasped Harry's free hand as she whispered, "When we get back, remind me to award Gryffindor points for such an amazing display of Illusionism."

"Can we leave talk of work until then?" asked Harry, stopping before the familiar headstone; when Lily saw what Harry had carved into it on the previous Christmas, she reached out and ruffled her son's hair before placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"You do realise you'll have to change that, right?" she asked him, standing before the specially-crafted headstone, "Given that one of the two is _not_ dead."

"So it would seem Lily."

Harry and his Mother both gasped, Harry now whirling round, his hand moving to Excalibur, but what he saw made him go weak at the knees, his eyes filled with tears while Lily was almost pale and as shocked and confused as her son.

"D…D…Dad?"

Standing before them, his body bathed in silver light, was none other than James Potter, his dark brown eyes filled with delight as he looked upon his son and his wife.

"Hello Prongslet," James smiled, "You've gotten so big and so handsome: I bet you're a real lady-killer huh?"

"It has to be you," Lily then laughed, stepping towards the apparent apparition of her husband, "Only you would comment on that for your own son: but…how?"

"Artemis," James explained, Harry then aware of the silver glow around his Father; it was like looking at…a ghost, a spirit of the ether, "She wished to reward my little king for all his hard work over the summer while you were in Camelot: don't worry," he then added, smiling at Lily, "She said you can touch me and see me: she and I were hoping you'd come here."

"James!" sobbed Lily, wrapping her arms around the former Potter Lord, Harry still confused, but fully aware that he now _needed_ to take a little trip into his kingdom: he wanted to have a few choice words with the Lady of Darkness. When the two elders parted, James actually kneeled down before he opened his arms to Harry, who, forsaking all his formality, nobility and shock, ran into his Father's arms. He was a little boy again, not the Holy Knight, not someone with the problems of Dumbledore and a fake prophecy: no, he was a little boy in his Dad's embrace.

"Hey," James whispered, his voice as soft as silk in Harry's ears, "No tears from you Harry; you're the man of the house now." Parting from his son, James smiled and wiped a tear from under Harry's eye, the Arch-Knight's silver eye actually looking like frost in his face as James held him. "I don't regret doing anything I did except leaving you alone that night," he told Harry, "That's why I made sure that the old man couldn't get to my will: now, before we continue, tell me: were we right?"

"Y-yes Dad," Harry smiled, "The H-Holy Knight of T-Thunder: but I was crowned King of C-Camelot and became the Arch-Knight: according to M-Merlin, I am the most powerful Knight since Arthur himself."

"That's my boy," James laughed, ruffling Harry's hair as he held onto his son; at that moment, Harry also noticed a scent on his Father's body: it wasn't foul or smelling of death; instead, it was strong and reminded Harry of the woodlands and the flower garden that led out to the Royal Stables where Raiden and Freya were nestled. Then again, Harry had to remind himself of what Sirius had told him about his Father's Animagus form: Prongs; a stag, just like the one that escaped Excalibur and Harry's wand when he cast the Patronus.

"How…how long can you stay?" asked Harry, not wanting to let go of his Father so soon: pretty quickly, those choice words he had for Artemis were becoming words of thanks and gratitude.

"Until midnight," James answered, "Cheesy I know, but Halloween is the only night of the year when the line between life and death is at its weakest: beyond that, only the Master of Death could bring me back."

"The who?" asked Harry, slightly confused as to the title; something about it made his blood burn with energy.

"The Master of Death," answered James, now actually sitting by his son's side; once again, Harry allowed the little boy in him to come out as he gently clambered into his Dad's lap; smiling softly, James held Harry close, Lily next to them as he continued his explanations. "You see Harry, as powerful as certain wizards think they are, there is one power that still eludes them: the power to control life and death. The Master of Death is the title given to the wizard who becomes the legitimate Master, by conquest or birthright, of three powerful items: the Deathly Hallows."

"And what are they?" asked Harry, but he, James and Lily were all surprised when a familiar voice spoke over James' explanations.

"'There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight," Hermione appeared through the mists that Harry then noticed were still around, despite the fact his focus was no longer on the power of Illusionism. Behind her, though keeping their distance as they felt this was a family moment, were Dan and Emma, both listening to their daughter's voice. "In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them."

"Sorry," interjected Harry, "but Death spoke to them?"

"It's a fairy tale, Harry!" Lily pointed out, "A story behind the creation of the Hallows."

"Right, sorry. Go on."

"'And Death spoke to them." Hermione repeated, now sitting opposite the three Potters as she gave her story, "He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother."

Hermione seemed to pause, allowing Harry a chance to think on what she was saying, before she cleared her throat and continued, "Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead. And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."

"Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.

"Yes," James answered, a sly smile crossing his face as he added, "This is the good bit though Harry; please, go on Miss Granger."

"Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts: in due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible."

"Well that's stupid," Harry remarked, "Why have all that power if you're only going to show off? At least when I use my power, it's for a purpose."

"That's true," Hermione agreed, continuing her story, "That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own. Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him. Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her. And so Death took the second brother from his own. But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And the he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life."

"However," James continued, "Those three items really do exist and, to control them would make one the Master of Death: you see Harry, the story is _very _real: Death, though no-one of the Old Ways will admit it, was actually a woman…"

"Artemis," Harry whispered, the pieces now falling into place.

"Artemis," James agreed, "How do you think she was able to bring me back for tonight? By the way, it's a pleasure to meet the lovely young lady who's captured my son's heart," he added, giving a sly wink to Hermione before Lily gave him a rather painful-looking rap on the arm. "And," James continued, actually wincing at the touch, "If you look over there, you'll see why it's real."

Following his Father's directions, Harry rose from James' lap and moved over to a gravestone that, at first, looked like it had suffered some real wear and tear; it was only when Harry managed to clear away the moss, mould and fix up the headstone that he was able to read the name: _Ignotus Peverell_.

"One of the three brothers," James explained, now standing by Harry's side as he pointed to a symbol on top of the gravestone, "And _that_ is the mark of the three items, known collectively as the Deathly Hallows."

Harry looked at the symbol: it looked like a triangle, but it held a full and complete circle inside its shape, a single stripe of black moving from the point of the triangle to its base, passing through the circle.

"The three items," James explained, "The Elder Wand for the stripe; the Resurrection Stone for the circle and the triangle is for the Invisibility Cloak: to own all three makes one the one true Master of Death and, with time and training, gives them the power over life and death itself."

"Voldemort," Harry whispered, an air of realisation filling his voice as James cocked his head.

"What about him?" he asked simply.

"I was told," Harry answered, looking to his Father's corporeal apparition as he added, "That Tom Riddle surrendered to his darkness and became Voldemort: now that he's trying to…to come back…" he actually hesitated as he wondered just how much he could reveal to his Father; when he felt the man's hand on his shoulder, Harry looked up into a smiling face.

"Artemis told me everything," James told him, "Go on Harry."

"I have to give my blood to him," Harry explained, "That will return him to his status as the Knight of Darkness: but I think I finally realise why he did it: he was trying to equal his power to that of Artemis, of _Death!_"

"If that's true," James nodded, "Then it is of vital importance that you let nothing and no-one stop you from doing that Harry: with the Knight of Darkness on your side, you could have the power to become him: after all, I may be dead, but I've met Death and I can sense her essence on you: on your holster and all around you."

"Your cloak!" gasped Hermione, realisation hitting her as James nodded proudly. "But…what about your holster?"

Flicking his wrist, Harry revealed a black wand that was fifteen inches in length, its design slightly different from other wands as it had carvings of a berry-like nature; staring at the wand, Harry asked, "Dad, are you saying that _this_ wand…it's really…"

"The Elder Wand," James nodded, "The most powerful wand in the world is now in the hands of the most powerful Knight and wizard: someone who has been touched by death: no," he then laughed, "Don't tell me: let me guess: you…found the wand?"

"Actually," Harry answered, "It…it came to me: back in September, we were making plans to deal with the monster who really holds responsibility for what happened and, to help, I used my right as Lord of Hogwarts – "I knew it," James commented as Harry continued – to strip Dumbledore of his post as Headmaster; when that became official, the wand flew to me and, as soon as I touched it, its power bonded to me."

"Then that makes two," James laughed, "You see Harry, I told you that one could only become Master by conquest or…birthright: the Potters are one of the descendants of Ignotus and that's how I had the cloak and now you do: just think son, all you need is the Stone and you'll be the most powerful wizard in the world."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, "But I'm sorry Dad; I…" he turned away so his Father didn't see him crying, "I…won't be using the power; not for you…not for anyone…"

"I understand," James smiled, his fingers trailing over Harry's black hair as he smiled at his son: what more could he have expected from the King of Camelot? "I wasn't expecting you to use it Harry; I just wanted you to know the truth about your power. That's why we're the descendants of Ignotus: because we use our brains and not our need for power. I mean you have all the power in the world already at your command, so I don't expect you to consider using any of it for dark purposes. However," he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, now spinning him round so that Father and Son were face to face. "Don't ever forget me, okay Prongslet?"

"Dad!" Harry remarked, James pulling his son into a warm hug as they held onto one another, the revived soul actually shedding his own tears as he sensed an air of his power in Harry, mainly focused on his Patronus.

"I will always be with you; look after your Mum and that lovely girl of yours; be strong, be good and be the King that you can be proud to be, okay?"

Harry just nodded, though Lily, watching from the sidelines with Hermione, both of them shedding their tears as they saw Harry finally have the chance to know his Dad, felt an air of surprise when they saw James' glow almost pass into Harry, as if he were passing on his power once and for all.

When it was time to go, Harry dropped his illusions, lifted Excalibur once and, looking to the spirit of his Father, shook his head before he asked, "Can I say one more thing Dad?"

"Of course you can Harry," James replied, "What is it?"

Holding Excalibur in a strong, warrior-like salute, Harry whispered, "Goodbye Dad; I love you."

Then, as James watched, Harry, Lily and Hermione vanished, the spirit feeling that his time was coming to a close; with his own smile, the once proud Marauder now felt pride at seeing his little one so strong. Staring seemingly into the darkness, he asked, "Will you watch over him?"

"I will," a familiar female voice answered, "You know that, unless he chooses to use the power, you can never come back, don't you James?"

"I do my Lady," James replied, wiping a tear from his eye as the most special day of Harry's year came to a long and winding end, James' last words echoing on the wind as he vanished back to the realm where spirits go after they die;

"I love you too…my little one…"

Then he was gone and all seemed normal once again, though Harry, on that day, made himself a promise:

He would find the Resurrection Stone; not for the return of his Father, but to ensure that no-one else could abuse the powers of death…

And he would do it for his Family, his legacy and all those who fell at the hands of their dark thirst for power…

He, Harry James Potter, King of Camelot, Arch-Knight and Lord of the Elements would gain another title, no matter how long it took:

Master…Of…Death…

**Chapter 32 and I hope everyone liked my little Halloween present for Harry and Lily; I needed a way for Harry to be put on the path that he has set himself no matter what lied ahead; also, I wanted a way for him to learn about the real power of his wand and, well, this came to mind.**

**So, can he become what he seeks to be and stop those who desire the power for dark reasons?**

**Also, can he get answers from Merlin and find a way to repay Artemis/Death for her kindness and gift?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: The Champions are announced and Harry, after learning of Fleur and Gabrielle's revelations, goes to the only person he can think of with the answers he needs: Merlin!**

**Please Read and Review…**


	33. Return of the King

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 31:**

**Harryhermionealways: Yeah well I was trying to think of something nice to sort of tie together the next piece of the puzzle for Harry and, when I remembered that Halloween was when the Champions were drawn, that came to me;**

**Zamia: I'm glad you approve; it must be pretty hard for someone to admit that they won't use so much power to achieve their heart's desire like that;**

**T4: Ah, but while he won't be bringing him back, who's to say that he won't see him again?**

**StormyFireDragon: Well I have a pretty big surprise in mind for what's to come and maybe a bit of a spin on the tasks as well;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Yeah well here's your recognition for your comment; understand that I can't answer every review;**

**Potter8668: believe me, it almost had _me_ in tears writing it;**

…_Harry, on that day, made himself a promise:_

_He would find the Resurrection Stone; not for the return of his Father, but to ensure that no-one else could abuse the powers of death…_

_And he would do it for his Family, his legacy and all those who fell at the hands of their dark thirst for power…_

_He, Harry James Potter, King of Camelot, Arch-Knight and Lord of the Elements would gain another title, no matter how long it took:_

_Master…Of…Death…_

Chapter 33: Return of the King

The tension in the air that evening was so thick that you could cut through it with a knife; all around the Great Hall, the members of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Hogwarts all watched and waited with baited breaths for the drawing of the champions, only a small band of them, otherwise known as the Holy Knights, actually more on edge because of what they _knew_ to be coming.

Watching from a protected spot between Sebastian and, much to his surprise, Sirius, Harry leaned in close to the Commander before he whispered quietly, "Should Fleur get into the Tournament, I want you to assign her a member of the Order as a contact and training partner."

"Way ahead of you Harry," Sebastian replied, his own eyes locked on the spot where the Goblet of Fire was burning brightly in the centre of the room, "Tyler asked if he could and I said it was fine, especially when I also told him that Miss Tonks could be here to help: her Auror training could come in handy."

"He's got a point there Harry," Sirius agreed, not really meaning to eavesdrop, "Nym is one of the best Defence students I know; present company excluded," he added with a smirk, nodding to his godson, "She knows she has an open invitation thanks to you and a place to stay in the Wing; so I agree with Seba."

Harry just nodded in agreement as Headmistress McGonagall took the centre of the room, Madame Maxime and High Master Karkaroff either side of her; glancing around the room, McGonagall cleared her throat before she spoke, "And now that we are all settled; it is time for the Champions' Selections: once again I warn you all that, once your name emerges from the Goblet, there is no turning back. You may have a select amount of company for research and assistance, but under no circumstances must you think you can get out of this: once it's done, it's done."

"She always had a way with words," Sirius chuckled, watching as the three heads of the three schools placed their hands upon the Goblet, the shimmering blue flames that erupted from the top of the goblet now turning red. As everyone leaned forwards, Harry then felt Excalibur's magic react to his own and the power of the Goblet; moving his hand down to his sword, Harry caressed the pommel as if he were calming a beast.

Then the first name erupted from the inside: catching the parchment, Minerva observed the parchment before she exclaimed, "The champion for Durmstrang is…Viktor Krum!"

A loud cheer and several rounds of applause filled the room as the so-called Quidditch star made his way down to the three heads, shook their hands and moved off into a separate chamber; as he watched Krum depart, Harry then noticed something rather off: a certain ex-headmaster was watching the Goblet and, despite his freakishly long beard, Harry could actually swear that he was muttering under his breath.

'_Mum,_' Harry sent across the bond, '_Tell me: can you hear Dumbledore muttering from where you're standing?_ _I think he's done something to the Goblet; no surprise really._'

'_I can't hear him,_' Lily returned, her own position next to Remus as she looked to where Dumbledore was standing, '_I'll keep an eye on him son: don't forget that we _know_ what's coming, but if he's tried something, then I ask my little King's permission to tear him a new one._'

'_Get in line,_' Harry laughed, watching as the flames turned red once more, another parchment flying from within; as McGonagall caught it, she looked around once.

"The champion for Beauxbatons…is Fleur Delacour!" she announced, though Harry gave Sebastian a subtle nudge as if to say to go ahead with his plan; almost immediately, the leader of the Order of Pendragon left the hall while the Goblet let out another name: Harry crossed his fingers as he looked around, wondering who the unfortunate soul was, "The Hogwarts Champion is…Cedric Diggory!"

This time, if it was possible, there was a louder cheer as Cedric, a Hufflepuff seventh year with dark brown eyes and stuck up hair of the same colour, moved through towards the same room where Fleur and Krum had gone; it was as he passed Dumbledore, however that Harry saw it again: a low muttering that became silent as soon as Cedric walked past him.

"And that's it!" exclaimed McGonagall, "The three champions are chosen; the wheels of fate have been set in motion and the Tournament has officially begun! I only wish luck to our three…"

She didn't get to finish; Harry watched as the flames turned red again, a stronger pulse of magic now filling the room as the Lord of Hogwarts felt _his_ school and the magic of his ancestors trying to block it; shaking his head, Harry whispered, "Don't: let this happen; for the sake of the future, it has to happen."

Hogwarts, hearing her Lord's wishes, became still again as a final parchment shot out of the Goblet…followed by a second; catching both of them, Minerva's eyes widened and Harry noticed Dumbledore's twinkling eyes go out as she looked around, before, in a shaky voice, she called out both names.

"Lord Harry Potter; Lady Hermione Potter!"

Rising from his seat, Harry felt a sense of worry crossing the bond from his beloved; soothing her with his smile, Harry held out his hand and, helping Hermione up, both of them made their way to the front of the hall, Lily watching with a worried expression while, at her side, Remus was actually smiling and, at the edge of his vision, Harry noted that Sirius was also grinning.

"They cheated!" yelled one Hufflepuff;

"Not even seventeen," complained a sixth-year Slytherin;

"But it's typical," a familiar fourth-year voice complained; stopping dead, Harry turned and faced the specific owner of the last voice; Ron Weasley had a look of pure jealousy and planning rage on his face.

Shaking his head, Harry reached down to his belt and withdrew Excalibur from its sheath, before he lifted it high and, addressing the hall, exclaimed, "I, Harry James Potter, Arch-Knight of the Elemental Order do solemnly swear on the Holy Sword Excalibur that I did not willingly enter this Tournament or put my name in the Goblet!"

A bolt of white lightning crossed Hogwarts' darkened ceiling, before Hermione linked her hand with Harry's as she added, "I, Hermione Jane…Potter, Holy Knight of Ocean, do solemnly swear on the Holy Sword Excalibur that I did not willing enter this Tournament or put my name in the Goblet: should either myself or Harry James Potter be lying, may the elements strike us down where we stand!"

Another bolt of lightning crossed the sky, but this time it was emphasised by a torrential wave of water that mixed with the lightning before it took the shape of the Holy Knights' Phoenix Crest – a white phoenix cresting over a crossed pair of lightning bolts – the light now shining down on the two Knights as Harry lowered Excalibur and turned to follow the other Champions through to the side room.

As he passed the old man however, Harry stopped, looked him dead in the eyes and, in an almost icy voice, hissed, "Try and make something of this scenario old man…I _beg_ you."

_**HPHG**_

While the three Heads of School tried to make heads or tails of what was going on here, Harry and Hermione were having their own conversation in their minds.

'_Sparky, be honest with me: did you enter my name knowing you'd become a Champion?_'

'_I didn't,_' Harry told her, '_I swear on the crown I bear that I did not wish you to join me Kitten: I'm sorry._'

'_Don't be,_' Hermione replied, before she linked hands with her betrothed and placed a soft kiss on his lips, '_If you didn't, then there's only one reason for it: we're betrothed in soul and magic, so Hogwarts herself would have done this._'

'_I see what you're saying there,_' Harry agreed, '_But I wish Godric would have warned me of this: I mean, other than the magic of my blade _and_ Hogwarts trying to reverse this, there was no real warning._'

'_Too little, too late I guess,_' Hermione sighed, resting her head on Harry's shoulder as she asked, '_But what will we do? Will we work together or should we make this interesting?_'

'_Well,_' Harry remarked, '_We know that I'm meant to meet with the Last Knight, old Tommy Boy, towards the end of the task, but we are bonded and have equal levels of power: I see no reason to make this interesting. So how about this: we research together and find out about the trials, but we keep strategies private…even from each other: then, when the final scores come in before the final task, we'll add a little wager to the bet._'

'_I'm listening,_' Hermione told him, her voice a soft purr in his ears as she half-listened to the Ministry officials talking about how they had no choice: surprisingly, none of the other Champions opposed this; more than likely because they could see the kind of power that bonded these two already.

'_You beat me on points,_' Harry told her, '_And I'll reward you with a date: but not just some dinner and a movie; no, this one will be special: anywhere in the world, or even in Camelot._'

'_And if you beat me?_' asked Hermione.

'_If I beat you on points,_' Harry told her, '_Then I have a proverbial free pass to do anything I want and either get away with it or not tell you about it._'

'_Now that's a bit meagre,_' Hermione sighed, her hand linked with Harry's as she added, '_How about if you beat me, we take the special date anywhere _you_ want, but we make it for your birthday, so it's a double celebration._'

'_Uh-huh,_' Harry agreed, '_And the reverse?_'

'_I beat you,_' Hermione teased him, '_Then, no matter how you feel about it…we _complete_ our bond on the eve of the third task so that we can go in there with everything we've got: deal?_'

'_Deal,_' Harry returned, his voice almost trembling as he thought of the aftermath of their little wager; if he won, he'd have a content Hermione and a future he would look forwards to; but if she won, he'd still have a content Hermione, but a _pissed off_ Father figure better known as his Uncle Dan.

Either way, Hermione won…and that was the kind of bet that Harry would make a thousand times over and a thousand times again…

_**HPHG**_

After the two _additional_ Champions had been allowed to leave, Harry had decided to get some more answers before he called it a night; leaving Hermione with the Knights, the King of Camelot made his way down to the Chamber of Secrets, their specially-chosen training chamber showing its wear and tear from the battle signs that lined the walls and the absence of the Basilisk corpse. It had been not too long before their return for fourth year that Harry and Severus had both returned to the school and harvested the Basilisk; half of it had gone to Gringotts for a rather hefty profit while the remainder had been kept by Harry for potion and other such uses.

Lifting Excalibur from its scabbard, Harry carved a five-point star on the ground before he added a circle around the outer edge, creating a pentagram; once this was done, he dug his blade into the centre-point of the pentagram, a bolt of lightning travelling through Excalibur's design and into the pentagram. As the two forces of magic met, there was an ominous rumbling and, removing his weapon, Harry smiled as he saw the Gateway rise in front of him.

It had been Merlin who had taught him how to open the gate without really needing to leave Excalibur or waste any unnecessary magic: as the new King, Harry had full command over the doorway that separated his human life from the magical kingdom that he ruled. When the gate opened, Harry stepped through, a smile gracing his lips as he found himself not stepping out onto the sandy beach as he had done before, but seemingly through a door inside Camelot's Main Castle, known simply as the Pendragon Citadel. Recalling his explorations of the place during his short time here, Harry followed the corridor downwards, several of the guards recognising him as they saluted him; when he reached the throne room, one of the guards pounded the floor with the butt of his staff-like weapon – the halberd - before he exclaimed, "My Lords and Ladies; announcing his Imperial Majesty: King Harry James Potter, Arch-Knight of the Elemental Order!"

The doors to the throne room opened before Harry actually smiled when he saw the Lords and Ladies of Nature all standing before him, their circular gathering seats positioned behind them. Seeing his King and proverbial apprentice standing before him, Merlin gave a bow of his own before he asked, "Your Majesty: this is a rather welcome surprise: how can the Elemental Order be of service sire?"

"There are some questions I would like answered Emrys," Harry answered, using Merlin's other name as a means to show how serious he was about this, "I came here of my own accord and on my own to get those answers: if we may step inside?"

"Of course," replied Merlin, stepping aside and, along with the other Lords and Ladies of the Order, moved to his seat, Harry taking his throne at the apex of the circle; assuming his regal-like stance – one leg crossed over the other with his fingers linked upon his lap – Harry faced the other Lords and made a mental note of how things appeared to have changed.

Since he had last seen them, when they'd said their farewells towards the end of August, Harry noticed that Artemis and Minerva actually appeared to look a lot more healthier while there was a glow to Zeus and Vulcan that hadn't been there before; indeed, all the Lords and Ladies appeared to be glowing, with the exception of Artemis, who was watching Harry. Knowing what she wanted to hear, the King of Camelot gave a sigh before he spoke, "Before we begin, I would like to thank you Lady Artemis: your gift on Samhain was well thought out and I appreciate you giving me the chance to speak to my Father after all these years."

"You are more than welcome my King," Artemis replied, her voice still like an older Luna as she faced her King, "And are you going to take the information you learned from your Father to heart?"

"Regarding your Hallows?" asked Harry; when Artemis nodded, he continued, "I am: I already possess two of the Hallows on my person: one being my new wand, which was forfeited from its previous _master_ when he lost his stature in the world; I also own the Invisibility Cloak and am looking to possess the Resurrection Stone."

"Perhaps the Last Knight may know something," Artemis suggested, her tone indicating that this was one of those _precognitive_ visions and meant as a hint to the King. A hint he took to heart as he looked around the circle: it was pretty difficult for him to remember that it had only been two months since he had last sat upon his throne and moved through his kingdom, but here he was again.

"Perhaps," he finally spoke up, "But for now, there is a much more pressing matter: I have found the last of my unknown Knights: the Holy Knight of Terra."

"Really?" asked Gaia; his stone-grey eyes suddenly shining bright as he asked, "Who is it?"

"A girl," Harry explained, "Fleur Delacour, who is also now my rival in the Tournament: yes Artemis," he added, seeing the Lady of Darkness open her mouth, "Your prophecy has come full circle: I now realise it was referring to the Tournament and now, not one, not two, but _three_ Holy Knights are rivals in this Tournament."

"Three?" asked Zeus, "How is that my Lord?"

"When my name was revealed as Number Four," Harry explained, giving a sly grin to Artemis as he said this, "My beautiful and ever-bright Queen's name came out with me: now I'll get to that later, but for now, I need to know: does my being the Arch-Knight take away my original mantle of Holy Knight of Thunder?"

"It should," Zeus answered, "I should have warned you about this when we spoke: why?"

"Because," Harry told him, his voice calm now that his suspicions had finally been confirmed, "Fleur has a sister; a younger sister named Gabrielle: she's only eight or nine at the moment, but her magical blood will see her go through a change of some sort very soon. Anyway, the important part is that Gabrielle Delacour has become the Holy Knight of Thunder."

"Really?" asked Minerva, the Lady of Sky now looking between Zeus and Artemis as she asked, "Did you two know of this?"

"No they didn't," Merlin replied, the Lord of Light and Father of Magic actually running a hand down his white beard as he looked to Harry, "But I did: I'm sorry Harry, but yes, your suspicions are confirmed: when you became the Arch-Knight and indeed when you and Lady Hermione complete your bond and make this an official union of the elements, it will happen again. But when you became the Arch-Knight, your powers as the Holy Knight of Thunder were returned to the Balance until a new Knight was found: tell me, Miss Delacour, is she Anointed or Pure?"

"Pure Knights," Harry answered, "Both of them: I wish you had told me Emrys, but now I want you to tell me: will this affect anything in the future?"

"No," Merlin replied, "Like I said Harry, it will happen again when you and Lady Hermione officially complete your bond to one another: she will become your equal, the second Arch-Knight, known as the Arch-Mage, and the powers of the Holy Knight of Ocean will go to another. Now, if the Knights of Terra and Thunder have been found, then the Knight of Ocean will be an Anointed who will receive his or her powers on the day following the completion of your bond."

"I think I understand," Harry muttered, his eyes now filled with a sense of angst as he thought to himself, 'So if Hermione wins our little wager, then the new Knight could be crowned on the same day that Tom's supposed to come back…whenever that is.'

Voicing his other thoughts, he then asked, "Speaking of the power inside me: I was told that I would undergo a sort of early magical maturity and it is yet to occur: is this because of you?"

"It is," Zeus explained, "We seven have banded together and have not so much suspended your maturity, but put it on hold so that, when you complete your bond with Lady Hermione, your powers shall unite and grow together."

'And again we're back to the bond,' Harry thought, 'Gods above, I'm starting to realise just what it will mean when Hermione and I complete our bond.'

Leaning forwards slightly, Harry let out a sigh before he asked, "I know that this could be classed as cheating, but is there anything you can tell me about the trials ahead?"

"Nothing that intervening forces will not tell you for themselves," Merlin replied, looking shrewdly to the others as he added, "And beware of the old one my King; now that your life hangs in the balance, he may try and use this as a means to pull you back into his grasp: never forget the key objective of this Tournament and stand true to your beliefs."

"I will," Harry sighed, "Thank you Emrys; I'm grateful that the Lords were able to meet with me today and, once again, I thank you Artemis for your gift: this has probably been my best Halloween ever."

"I am happy it pleases you my King," Artemis replied, "Are you going?"

"I have to," Harry answered her, "If I'm gone too long, people will get suspicious, but I will keep everything you've told me in mind and, when we meet again, one way or another, it will be with a completed set of Holy Knights led by the Arch-Knight and Arch-Mage. May your swords stay sharp, my Lords and Ladies of Nature."

"And to you, Your Majesty," chorused the Elemental Order, their words and explanations ringing in Harry's ears and mind throughout most of everything that followed…

**A pretty short Ch 33, but enough for Harry to learn more about what is to come and for a few surprises to be put in place: with the information in mind, can Harry survive and meet the Last Knight?**

**Also, what is the old man planning and will Harry have the strength to overcome it?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Harry and Hermione come face to face with another big enemy in their path: Rita Skeeter; also, most of Hogwarts has turned against Harry and Hermione, but support comes from a surprising source and, as the date of the first task draws nearer, Harry finds out about the contents of the task in a most _unusual_ way…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: So the Tournament has stakes for our Knights, but who do you think should win? Answers via the poll on my profile page…**


	34. The First Task

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 33:**

**Loki Palmer: You thinks and you be right;**

**Kissinghollie: wow, all 33 chapters in one? That's amazing; I'm glad I impress you with the events enough for you to keep going;**

**Ladygoddess8: Maybe, but I have a good idea for the true Last Knight;**

**DarkHeart81: Maybe, but sadly that's not what I'll be serving in this story;**

**Harryhermionealways: Don't worry about either of them my friend, their end IS coming;**

**Zamia: Merlin's warning will not go unheeded, particularly with what is going to happen in the aftermath of this chapter;**

**T4: I do have a candidate in mind, but, to be honest, I never thought about him being one: maybe in another story, but this one is all set;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Nah, I'm never upset with any of my reviewers unless they have bad things to say about my writing style or the story;**

**MariusDarkwolf: I have to be careful Marius; this story is rated T so I have to watch what I put in it;**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart; You know, I don't think anyone HAS written a story about THAT; I can just imagine it; thanks Sir Andrew, I needed someone to cheer me up;**

**StormyFireDragon: One of my first reviewers again Storm; you know, whenever you review my work or send a PM with information, it makes my day: I'm glad we're friends;**

**ALSO: WARNING: THIS STORY IS COMING TO AN END VERY SOON: I HAVE CHOSEN TO END THE ADVENTURE – AND YES I MEAN END, NOT A SEQUEL – IN THE SUMMER BEFORE 5TH YEAR: WHAT WILL HAPPEN? YOU'LL HAVE TO KEEP READING TO FIND OUT!**

"_I have to," Harry answered her, "If I'm gone too long, people will get suspicious, but I will keep everything you've told me in mind and, when we meet again, one way or another, it will be with a completed set of Holy Knights led by the Arch-Knight and Arch-Mage. May your swords stay sharp, my Lords and Ladies of Nature."_

"_And to you, Your Majesty," chorused the Elemental Order, their words and explanations ringing in Harry's ears and mind throughout most of everything that followed…_

Chapter 34: The First Task

How soon things can change for people!

When Harry had returned to the Lion's Wing and to his Queen, he had felt like a great burden had been lifted from his mind, but he was still slightly curious and even more unnerved by the effects that his future would have on him and Hermione. Sleeping pretty well through the night, Harry awoke the next morning to his favourite view: a head of bushy brown hair resting on his chest, her hand clenched into a fist as she seemed content to massage the area around his heart.

Such delights and splendour, however, would not last: no sooner had Harry and Hermione entered the Great Hall than Harry found himself entering a silence-filled scenario that would have put a wake to shame. Nearly forty percent of the heads in Hogwarts student body were turned in their direction and, as much as he wanted to think otherwise, Harry had a sneaking feeling that this was just the beginning.

He was proved right not two days later when, after two days of sharp glares and fierce whispers from the students, Harry entered the Great Hall for dinner and found the smug, cocky face of Ron Weasley brandishing what appeared to be a badge that read _SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY_, before it changed to another slogan that read _POTTER STINKS_.

Rather than rise to the occasion, Harry heaved a sigh as he asked, "So Weasley, just how much did you try to bribe Ravenclaw House to do this for you?"

"Only telling the truth Potter," sneered Ron, Harry clenching his fist as he saw the cockiness in the boy's voice: he actually thought he'd won.

"Well your truth is…" before he could continue, Harry actually chuckled before he lifted the sleeve of his robe to his nose and sniffed, a look of shame and disgruntled emotion crossing his face as he added, "Pretty true; I guess I should learn to wash my robe before I wear it: in any event, you continue to slander my name and I will not hesitate to bring you down: I heard the Banshee loves her job as a dragon shit shoveller."

Ron's fist – as usual – came before his wand, but Harry only yawned as he lifted his own hand, caught the fist and, without even trying to move, swept Ron aside with a powerful blast of wind. As Ron sprawled to the ground, Harry looked around the Great Hall before he addressed the schools, "And to whoever else is responsible for these badges, you should call a retraction and cease any hostility towards my betrothed and me; we swore on the power of my family's sword that we did not cheat or willingly enter this Tournament and, though we are betrothed, both Hermione and I are keeping our game plans from one another."

"Very true Sir Potter," McGonagall added, rising from her seat as she explained, "Mr Weasley, it seems that you're setting records for detentions in this school as they now add up to Christmas and beyond; so, to save face, I think your punishment should be a week's detention with Professor Potter where you _must_ do as she says."

'_Uh oh,_' chorused Harry and Hermione, their mental voices laced with amusement.

Minerva then addressed the hall, "And let me remind you that I was there when Sir Potter and Lady Potter swore their oaths, and willingly, I may add: such bravery is commended here at Hogwarts and, should this bigotry against them continue, the parties responsible will be put through some of the worst punishments imaginable."

Harry thanked her as he sat down with the Gryffindors, Hermione remaining ever true and ever proud at his side…

_**HPHG**_

Three days after Minerva's warning, Harry and Hermione were down in Potions with Severus when a knock came at the door to the classroom: when Severus gave permission to enter, Harry felt a modicum of surprise when he saw Colin Creevey walk in, before he eeped at Snape's glare. "Sorry for disturbing you Professor Snape, but I was sent by the Headmistress to bring Harry and Hermione for a pre-task ceremony."

"Very well," Severus nodded, looking to the two aforementioned lions as he added, "Harry, you and Hermione are excused from the homework to concentrate on the Tournament: I trust you shall not abuse this privilege?"

"No Professor," Harry replied, rising with his queen and, following Colin, made his way up to a classroom on the fifth floor; once inside, Harry was surprised to find not only Minerva, but Madame Maxime, who seemed to be escorting Fleur, as well as High Master Karkaroff who was escorting Viktor and finally Professor Dumbledore. Cedric was standing with Minerva and Harry also noticed Sebastian waiting with them: no doubt the private mentor of the Lord of Hogwarts had been informed along with Minerva.

There was also, much to Harry's surprise, the company of Mr Ollivander, who smiled when he saw Harry enter, along with Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman; finally, there was a photographer and a familiar face in Rita Skeeter. Remembering what Arthur had said about the woman, Harry straightened his posture before he moved to Sebastian's side, not failing to notice the glare he was getting from Dumbledore as he did so.

"Excellent," Bagman announced, "Now that our _five_ champions are here, we can begin: now, you are here for a simple test of your wands and to see whether they are compatible with the trials ahead; then you will have an interview with Miss Skeeter here and an opportunity for Champions' Photos that will appear in the Prophet in the future. Now, there is one last piece of information that I wish to give to you and it is this: the first task shall take place in less than three weeks on November 24th in a specially crafted environment just outside the school. For the sake of equality, we have decided that all five champions are forbidden to know of the challenge's contents as…"

"May I speak up here Mr Bagman?" asked Harry suddenly, his eyes aware of Skeeter seemingly writing almost instantly: if she was as bad as he suspected, he'd have to silence her.

"Of course Sir Potter," replied Ludo, "What do you wish to say?"

"These trials," Harry explained, "They are used to test the mettle of students of age and are also highly dangerous as Headmistress McGonagall told us all; therefore, wouldn't it be fairer to inform us of these dangers beforehand so we have the proper skills? Otherwise it would be like throwing an amateur gladiator into the lion's pit!"

"I agree with Sir Potter," Madame Maxime exclaimed, much to Harry's surprise, "While I do not question ze integrity of ze Knight, it iz true zat our Champions should be aware of ze trials zey are about to face."

"I…see," Bagman sighed, meeting Harry's gaze as he continued, "But, Sir Potter, how would it test your mettle if…"

"Mr Bagman," Harry suddenly growled, "I may be forced to participate in this tournament, but as every Hogwarts representative here knows, I will sooner face the jaws of death _again_ before I put my betrothed in danger: now, I do not want to have to go over your head on this, so, _sir_, I will ask once again: what is the First Task?"

"Harry my boy," Dumbledore began, but stopped when Excalibur and Nimueh were suddenly revealed to the assembled party.

"Shut it Dumbledore," Harry snarled, "It's probably your fault I'm like this anyway: so, keep it shut or I'll shut it for you! Mr Bagman, I'm going to count to three and if you haven't told us, then I will be forced to take actions that I don't wish to take: one…two…th…"

"DRAGONS!" Cried Ludo, gasping in fear as, with every number that Harry had counted, he had been glowing with bright light and magic that would put even the strongest Auror to shame: this was a young man who had openly challenged Fudge and his commands, not to mention seen to it that Dumbledore was no longer Head. "The first task is dragons: there will be five dragons, one for each of you, and they will be guarding a clue to the next task, which will be on February 24th; any form of magic or weaponry is welcome as long as you retrieve the task that is required. Without that clue, you cannot hope to progress to the next trial."

"Thank you," Harry sighed, now looking to Miss Skeeter as he added, "And as for you, I've heard of your reputation: sugar coat anything that I say to you and you will be out of a job faster than you can say Excalibur: am I clear?"

"Y-yes Sir Potter," Rita gasped, already ripping up her first draft of notes: against the kind of power that she had witnessed, she didn't really want to get in his way, not when he could do all that;

And so much more…

_**HPHG**_

Now that they knew what was going to be standing in their way – literally – the Holy Knights agreed to a ceasefire as they shared their research, but, like Harry and Hermione, kept their strategies to themselves: whenever he was planning his own task, Harry would close his mind to Hermione and practice like he had never done before. In his trainings, he focused on every aspect of his magic, from the elements to Illusionism and even handling Excalibur: he had a basic back-up that sounded a bit cheesy, but, if he was forced, then he would do it.

True; now that he knew that he would be facing a fully-grown dragon – a truth that Lily raged about for days on end when she found out – Harry _was_ nervous and, more often than not, before they went to sleep at night, he and Hermione had to soothe the fears of the other as they shared their emotions for the task ahead. Remembering their little wager actually helped them concentrate on the task ahead: truth was that, if he was being honest with himself, Harry _hoped_ Hermione would win the wager because he didn't wish to go into the final task, bring back Tom and come back only to find a real danger in his path.

So yes, if he was being honest with himself, Harry actually started to _want_ to complete the bond and, when they did, he would make sure that Hermione knew just how much he cared for her; after all, without her, none of this – him as a Knight, let alone a King – would have been possible.

Pretty soon, Harry found himself laughing as November 24th came around and the tension in the air at Hogwarts was just as thick and palpable as it had been on the night of the Champions' Naming. After his little warning to the Dead Man Walking – a warning that hadn't gone heeded as Weasley's newly named bed in the Hospital Wing proved – the school had changed their tune and those that weren't happy that two underage champions were in the Tournament kept their thoughts to themselves.

More than anything, Harry and Hermione both felt like they would sooner tackle any other kind of danger rather than the one they were about to face; it didn't seem right that the Champions actually had to face a dragon for the sake of the Tournament, but, if Harry had learned anything, he had learned that life always loved throwing a wrench into the works.

After dinner, the five champions all made their way down to the stadium, a specially-built pen on the edge of the Forbidden Forest that Harry had also noticed was tended by a familiar red-haired Weasley otherwise known as Charlie. When they reached the Champions' tent, Harry and Hermione's faces turned into smiles when a nice surprise was revealed to them: Dan, Emma and Amelia were waiting just below the spectators stands and, as soon as he saw him, Harry half-expected Dan to hit him again. This time, he'd let him.

Approaching the two additional champions, Dan and Emma hugged their daughter and son-in-law close before Dan, who was holding Harry with such a strength that it showed more worry than rage, asked, "Nervous?"

"Truth?" Harry countered, then answered him, "I am, but I ask you not to worry Dan: I won't let anyone or anything stop me from protecting Hermione: she and I have been training night and day for this and we're both confidant in our abilities."

"I hope so," Dan sighed, before he looked to Amelia as he asked, "Our agreement?"

"Of course," Amelia replied, now stepping up to Harry as she added, "Harry, I have spoken with the judging panel and the heads of school and we have agreed that, after today, you and Hermione and the other champions will be given a two day resting period before returning to school. Now Dan and Emma have asked me to allow you to go home for those two days and, as Minister for Magic, I encourage and support their wishes."

"Thank you Amelia," Harry nodded, before he laughed as he added, "I'm actually glad you're here: I'll need someone to help keep Mum calm."

"We'll be sitting with Lily and Sirius," Emma then piped up, though Harry did notice the red in her eyes that showed she'd been crying, "Just promise that you'll come back to us Harry."

Hugging Emma warmly, Harry replied, "I promise Aunt Emma; I promise."

His use of her family title only made the Granger matriarch start crying again, before Dan smiled as he led her away with Amelia in tow, the Minister wishing the two champions good luck; once they were alone, Harry turned to Hermione before he asked, "Your…strategy: are you sure it will work?"

"Yes," Hermione answered him, now taking his hand as she leaned in close and kissed him on the lips as she asked, "Yours?"

"Do you really have to ask Mione?" asked Harry, "Just think of the wager as I've been doing and look forwards to those two days off."

"I will," Hermione replied, repeating her kiss before she walked into the champions' tent, Harry following moments later; inside the tent were Crouch, Bagman, McGonagall, Sebastian, Madame Maxime and Karkaroff, all of them with their champions – Seba was representing _both _Harry and Hermione – as Mr Bagman stepped up.

"Ah Sir Potter; there you are: right, Barty the bag." Turning to the other man, Ludo held out a violet-cloth bag that seemed to hiss and snap; from where he was standing, Harry felt his magic tingling as the raw bestial magic of the dragons they were to face matched his own. Bagman addressed the champions, "All right; in this bag are five miniature versions of the dragons out there, each one with a number: the number corresponds to the order in which you will enter the pit. Now, the task is this: each dragon guards a treasure: it was originally meant to be a golden egg, but due to unforeseen circumstances – Harry noticed he glanced in his direction as he said this – the goblins who forged the eggs were adamant at not being involved. So instead, the treasure is a gemstone that is held within the very heart of the nests."

"Nests?" asked Harry incredulously; he had researched dragons in depth and learned about them from the master himself in Merlin, "Mr Bagman, I'm not challenging you this time, but I want to know: we're to face _nesting_ dragons?"

"That is correct Sir Potter," Bagman answered, "Now, why don't you pick first?"

Harry reached in, his hand curling around a small, but sharp figurine: pulling it out, he saw a silver-scaled dragon that he recognised all too well; Bagman's words confirmed it, "The Antarctic Silverback and the number is one: Sir Potter will be first."

'Silverback,' thought Harry, 'Just like Iris: does that mean I'll be facing a burning frost as well? Shit, I may have to rethink my strategy.'

The other champions seemed to share his thoughts about the dragon they received: Krum gained the Welsh Green, Fleur was to face the Chinese Fireball, Cedric gained the opponent of the Swedish Short-Snout and Hermione had the bad luck of drawing the Hungarian Horntail: on its own, the Horntail was quite possibly the most fierce of dragons, but it was only outmatched by – yep, you guessed it – the Silverback Dragons.

"And there we have the order," Bagman explained, "First will be Sir Potter, then Miss Delacour, followed by Mr Krum then Lady Potter and finally Mr Diggory: now, at the sound of the cannon…"

As if on cue, a cannon erupted and Harry, gulping hard, heard Bagman wish him luck before he stepped out into the pit: moving through the tunnel, Harry emerged in a rocky terrain with several large boulders and obstacles that appeared to be designed for obstruction and defensive purposes; as he steeled himself, he heard it: loud as thunder and deadly as the bite of the Basilisk. The roar of the Antarctic Silverback and it was coming from underneath his feet: even as he went to move, the ground trembled and Harry barely had time to leap out of the way before the ground exploded beneath him, revealing his enemy.

The first thing he took notice of was the fact that its scales weren't silver as he had seen, but a strong shade of ice blue that was close to white: it was almost 30ft in size and its wingspan was as large as twice Harry's height, the wings as bright and wind-inducing as its body. The head of the dragon was smooth in appearance, save for a pair of cold, murderous blue eyes that looked upon Harry with rage and defensive purpose; when it opened its jaws, the dragon let out a roar that shook the pit and the stadium around them.

'Wow,' Harry thought, looking to the Antarctic Silverback, a part of him noticing four sets of sharp claws that appeared to be stained by earth and blood, 'If it wasn't for the fact I've got to face her, I'd think her as beautiful as my Iris.'

Swooping down, the Silverback parted its jaws and Harry again ducked as two rows of sharp teeth missed his body by inches: realising that the kid gloves were off with this creature, Harry lifted his hand and summoned Excalibur, before he looked up to where the beast was flying. The first thing he'd have to do is ground the creature; tapping into his Parseltongue ability, he hissed, {Forgive me.}

Lifting Excalibur's blade, Harry tapped into his original bloodline of Thunder and aimed two bolts of white lightning at the tips of the dragon's arched wings; with a roar of pain, the great beast fell to the ground, its body quivering from an aftershock as it faced the enemy that dared to threaten its nest.

'There's a point,' thought Harry, looking around cautiously as he kept his blade trained on the dragon, 'Where_ is_ the nest?'

The Silverback appeared to roar at him again, its loud screech actually making the bones underneath Harry's skin tremble with a mix of ecstasy and fear: yes, he was afraid of the beast before him because he knew how dangerous it was supposed to be. However, any thoughts of 'supposed to be' were soon cut off when, as Harry moved from behind one of the obstructions, the Silverback opened her maw and Harry, out of instinct, lifted Excalibur just in time as a wave of white flame that was more like a stream of lightning erupted from the dragon's jaws. The white lightning onslaught came into contact with Excalibur's blade, the magical properties of the Holy Sword separating the stream as it surrounded Harry in magic, the King of Camelot grunting as the force of the power actually had his feet sliding beneath him.

'Merlin,' he gasped, 'She's a powerful one: I should never have forgotten that we were facing powerful creatures: okay…still no sign of the nest and this beast isn't going to halt this white lightning attack for a while, so I need to think.'

Even as he did, Harry reached into his magic and, again hissing for the beast to forgive what he was about to do to her, he concentrated on the fiery power of the dragon's blast and, with a cry, sliced Excalibur downwards, the sword now glowing with the same colour magic as the dragon's onslaught. When the two forces met, Harry called on his elemental lineage and transformed the flame from the dragon into ice, the maw of the beast now frozen open in a gesture that would have made an excellent water feature. Reaching into his magic, Harry leaped out from within the now frozen flame display and, keeping Excalibur at his side in case of battle, he approached the beautiful dragon's side and gently placed a hand on her frozen jaws.

"I'm sorry for this," he whispered, before he summoned what appeared to be tendrils from the ground, the thick stone of the pit now trapping the dragon in ropes of stone and what appeared to be steel, Harry now more grateful than ever for his training at the hands of the Lords of Nature. With the Silverback secured, the King of Camelot went back to basics; with his hand still on the dragon's head, he hissed at her, {Forgive me if I caused you harm beautiful Ice-Scales: I merely seek a treasure placed by those who brought you to my realm. Please tell me: where will I find this treasure?}

{M-My nest oh speaker of magic,} hissed the dragon, {You have power…and that sword; you are him, are you not? King of the Magical Realm?}

{I am the King of Camelot,} Harry answered her, {Where is your nest Ice-Scales: on my blade I vow that I shall free you from this magic once I have my item.}

{The burrow where I emerged,} the dragon gasped, {My nest is…is there; you are…a good soul Lord of Magic…it will serve you well.}

Thanking her, Harry moved over to the crater that the dragon had formed when she'd emerged from the earth; sure enough, at least six feet under where he was standing was a ring of iced stones and there, right in the heart of the nest, was a shining white diamond encased in what appeared to be a block of ice. Shaking his head, Harry lifted his hand and used the winds to lift the item from within the nest, being very careful not to harm the other eggs or any of the nest's features. Holding the diamond in his hand, Harry melted the ice with a simple flicker of flame and, keeping his word to the dragon, he unsealed her from the chains that bound her and the ice that trapped her.

Moving to the young human who had been merciful to her, the dragon bowed her head before she spoke to him, {I thank you King Silver-Eye; your honour to our kind shall be known for all time.}

{Thank you Mother Ice-Scales,} Harry returned, before he bent forwards and, petting the dragon's snout, placed a light kiss on her snout before he smiled at her and added, {Until we meet again.}

He left the pit to thunderous, disbelieving, but celebratory applause, all the while aware of the look of relief on the face of a certain Illusionism teacher and a certain Slytherin Head of House…

_**HPHG**_

Hermione, seeing Harry's return, ran into his arms and kissed him for all he was worth, the Lord of Hogwarts being very careful not to lose the diamond that he was holding. When they parted, she asked him, "Your plan worked?"

"Sadly not," Harry told her, "So I improvised: good luck against the Horntail."

Hermione thanked him as Harry allowed himself to be led aside by Sebastian and Madam Pomfrey, Hermione's eyes never leaving the treasure that was held by her boyfriend, a part of her now more curious than worried:

'What is the significance of the diamond and the second task?'

_**HPHG**_

After Viktor Krum had successfully managed to acquire his treasure, which Hermione noticed to be a blood ruby while Fleur's had been a sapphire, the Queen of Camelot steeled herself for facing her dragon; at the sound of the cannon, she emerged into the pit and, looking around warily, she saw the nest of the Horntail hidden in the shadows of the stadium. Looking around warily, Hermione pulled out her wand and, pointing it at the nest, she whispered, "_Accio treasure._"

Much to her surprise…it actually worked: a green emerald that was as big as Harry's fist flew to her hand; catching the emerald, Hermione held it up to stunned applause; however, as she turned away, there was a loud roar and the Hungarian Horntail, angry at her nest being approached and her being denied a meal, flew towards Hermione with such speed that, for a second, the Queen of Camelot felt true fear.

Hermione couldn't quite explain what happened next: all she could recall was a roar, a scream of what sounded like her name and then the soft, warm feel of fresh blood against her face; when her attention span caught up with her, Hermione gasped at what she saw in front of her.

Harry, wielding Excalibur and looking both angered and sorry for what he was doing, was standing before her, his stance as strong and unmoving as ever; the jaws of the Hungarian Horntail embedded deep in his left shoulder, blood rolling down his arm as he held Excalibur, Hermione then noticed, right up through the head of the beast.

'_Sparky!_' she cried, a silver eye now glancing in her direction before a voice whispered back to her.

'_You win…_'

Then, in front of three schools, two concerned parents and a Minister, the Arch-Knight of Camelot fell to his knees as the Hungarian Horntail fell to the floor…dead;

Harry, however, was not, but his blood still flowed freely, prompting Hermione to grab his arms and hold him close, her tears rolling down her cheeks as the staff and representatives gathered around them.

"HARRY!"

**Chapter 34 and Harry is still the saving-people-first kind of kid we know and love, but why did he do what he did and, if Hermione was successful, why did the Horntail still attack her?**

**Also, how quickly will Harry recover and what is the significance of the jewels that the champions now hold?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Harry and Hermione have two days to recover, but Harry may not make the two days; there's an announcement from the Headmistress and a revelation from Charlie Weasley; also, through his pain, Harry learns of a startling secret to the power of the Arch-Knight and Hermione makes a plan to make Christmas special for her White Knight…**

**Please Read and Review…**

**AN: You all decided and I agree: Hermione WILL win the wager, but the events leading to that will be surprising;**

**AN 2: In case anyone's wondering, the Antarctic Silverback is actually inspired by a dragon from a favourite anime of mine: anyone who can guess it gets the next chapter dedicated to them…**


	35. The Yule Ball

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 34:**

**Draehydraxis: Well I thank you for that comment and I hope you're right;**

**Titanium Gold: I say you're right about where it's from and, in response to your query, I got rid of them due to lack of inspiration;**

**Ladygoddess8: Of course Harry will recover, or else how can this story continue?**

**Loki Palmer: you'd be right on your guess and, in response, all I'll say is that justice will be swift;**

**T4: It was and the crystals are slightly sneaky on the part of the idea I had for this story;**

**Zamia: Harry will NEVER abandon Hermione; I think that's kind of obvious;**

**Cateagle: A shame yes, but necessary nonetheless;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: It will be slightly different with a bit of a twist; I've read a few stories where the TWT was different from canon, so here's hoping my idea works;**

**Winged Seer Wolf: Well you could if you wanted to, but you'd have to wait for the official end before making any decisions;**

**StormyFireDragon: You think I'd let someone get away with magical sabotage so easily Storm?**

**ALSO: THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO EVERY REVIEWER FOR THE LAST CHAPTER: YES, THE ANTARCTIC SILVERBACK WAS INSPIRED BY THE BLUE EYES WHITE DRAGON FROM YU-GI-OH; SO, SINCE OVER HALF OF YOU GUESSED IT RIGHT, THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALL OF YOU: IT'S ALMOST OVER!**

_Hermione couldn't quite explain what happened next: all she could recall was a roar, a scream of what sounded like her name and then the soft, warm feel of fresh blood against her face; when her attention span caught up with her, Hermione gasped at what she saw in front of her._

_Harry, wielding Excalibur and looking both angered and sorry for what he was doing, was standing before her, his stance as strong and unmoving as ever; the jaws of the Hungarian Horntail embedded deep in his left shoulder, blood rolling down his arm as he held Excalibur, Hermione then noticed, right up through the head of the beast._

"_HARRY!"_

Chapter 35: The Yule Ball

Chaos was clearly the order of the day at Hogwarts during the aftermath of the First Task;

No sooner had Hermione Granger, the Alpha Female of Gryffindor and Holy Knight of Ocean, retrieved her treasure through rather ingenious means before the dragon she had been facing, a nesting Hungarian Horntail, had attacked her and could have killed her if it hadn't been for one simple thing.

Harry Potter's knack for saving people and his reckless thinking where his Hermione's safety was concerned; with reflexes and speeds that would put the greatest Quidditch Players in the world to shame, he had been out from the Champions' Tent and, drawing Excalibur, he had stabbed the dragon through the roof of the mouth, but not without those blood-thirsty fangs digging into his shoulder first. When Hermione had cried out Harry's name, the three schools had actually been in shock and awe while several adults were trying to calm the younger students.

However, among all of them, the first to Harry's wounded body were Dan, Emma, Lily and Sirius, the Defence Professor growling threateningly as he turned to a stunned Charlie Weasley before he asked, "I thought you were supposed to tame these beasts so they'd be able to recognise when it was time to step down?"

"I…I'm sorry Lord Black," Charlie replied, actually trembling in front of the professor as he looked to Hermione who was holding onto Harry. "I personally made sure that the right kinds of dragons were brought here: I…I…I don't know what happened."

"Isn't it obvious?" asked a familiar voice, Sirius and Dan now moving to keep their children from the presence of Dumbledore as the old man made his opinions known. "Someone must have used dark magic to try and threaten the life of someone close to our official fourth champion: perhaps we should take this to the…"

"Shut…your…mouth," gasped a wounded voice, Sirius now stepping aside as Harry stood tall, Excalibur's blade dripping blood as he tried to remain upright, "D-Dragons," he continued, gasping through his pain, "Are more or less immune to…the magic like this; only…a potion or…serious mind-wiping could…affect them and…there's only one name…that comes to mind."

"Harry my boy," Dumbledore smiled, "I am glad to see that…"

A bolt of lightning struck the already dead corpse of the Horntail, Harry's voice even colder as he hissed, "_You_ knew I would do that Dumbledore: you knew I'd protect Hermione if she was in serious danger. Now…get out of…my way before there's…another corpse on hand here: Sirius…can we…can we go home?"

"I'll take you down to the gates," Sirius explained, "And we can go home from there: but shouldn't Severus or Poppy look at your wound?"

"Once I'm away from him," Harry snarled, pointing a hand at a stunned Dumbledore, "I'll accept any help…and Dumbledore? If…if you _think_…that just because…I'm weak means I want help…then you don't know me at all. In fact," he gave an almost shark-like smile as he added, "I think you'll find that I possess…powers that you know not."

Albus' eyes widened: from Harry's tone of voice, it sounded like he had knowledge of the prophecy, but that was impossible, wasn't it?

Even with his so-called powers, there was no way that he could possess knowledge of the plan and the way that Albus was prepared to use his power at such a young age, did he?

As Sirius, Lily and the small entourage passed the old man, he carefully cast a quick tracking spell on Dan and Harry, both of them unaware of the danger they were in;

Or so he thought…

_**HPHG**_

"Bastard!"

Harry, with what strength he could muster, incinerated his robe and then, pointing Excalibur at Dan's coat, he nullified the magical presence he'd felt after they'd left Hogwarts; sheathing his sword, Harry gasped as Lily rubbed a lotion into his wound, before she told him, "Mind your language young man."

"That sick asshole tried to charm my robe and Dan's coat," Harry told her, "I think in this case my language is called for Mum…ah!"

His words were finished with a cry as Lily pressed a cloth onto his wound, the material lined with an antiseptic lotion that she had been given by Poppy; nearby, Hermione was being held by Dan and Emma as she sobbed into their bodies, Sirius and Remus both standing guard at the entrance to Harry's room.

'_Ariel,_' Harry sent her, '_Please don't be upset: I told you and I told Uncle Dan that I wouldn't let anyone harm you ever again if I could help you._'

'_I know Sparky,_' Hermione sniffed, her eyes on her betrothed as she added, '_I'm just sorry that I didn't take into account the possibility of dark magic being used to harm either of us. If I had, then I would have used my Oceanic power and frozen the dragon in place._'

'_Don't blame yourself my Kitten,_' Harry told her, '_Like you just pointed out, we didn't know that someone would go as far as threatening you to endanger me: believe me when I say that this is but a flesh wound._'

Lifting the rag from Harry's wound, Lily hissed and Hermione gasped when they saw the spotted ridge where the Horntail's jaws had pierced Harry's skin; the outer edges of the bite wounds were turning a sickly shade of puce that seemed to become enflamed; looking to her son, Lily asked, "Shall I send for Severus?"

"We need a healer," Harry answered her, "It may be an idea…unless healing is one of your special skills Mum."

"I could try," Lily explained, "But even the Knight of Light has her limits: what about you son? Can Excalibur heal the wounds with help from your magic?"

Shrugging in reply, Harry winced as the pain shot through his left shoulder, the puce-coloured wounds being cracked open with even that motion: small rivulets of red ran over Harry's shoulder, prompting Lily to reapply her cloth while Harry extended his hand and, clasping Excalibur, lifted it slowly, setting the cold steel against his wound. Calming his mind, the Arch-Knight began to reach into his magic, focusing on a combination of Excalibur's holy power along with his Light-Elemental side, his silver eye glowing slightly as the magic poured through him.

After a few moments of concentration, Harry actually smiled when he saw the blade of Excalibur begin to flicker and crackle with sparks of white magic, each of the sparks dancing over the wounds while Harry remained focused on his power and potential. Because of his weakened state, the Arch-Knight knew that he wouldn't be able to do this as quickly as everyone believed, but if he could heal his wound, then it was something. Even as he thought about the possibility of healing his wound, Harry smiled as he felt Hermione's magic blend in with his own, her hand now clasped with his around the hilt of Excalibur.

'_We have two days to recover Sparky,_' she told him, sitting calmly by his side as their now combined magic increased the number and size of the sparks that were dancing off of Excalibur's blade, '_Don't strain yourself: clearly the dragon's maw was not only deadly, but poisonous: allow Excalibur's magic to cleanse the wound and then, when Severus gets here, he can heal you._'

'_If you say so Kitten,_' Harry sent back, now calming his concentration slightly as the sparks danced around the puce infections, Lily, Sirius, Dan and Emma all gasping as the light formed a ring of white magic that seemed to lift and absorb the poison that Hermione had suspected, before, in a crack of thunder, both the ring and poison became nothing but dust in the winds, leaving Harry to sag down gently, Hermione massaging his hairline before she gave him a kiss.

"That's…that's the best I could do under the circumstances," Harry told the others, liking the feel of his Hermione's hand in his hair, "When Severus gets here, he can examine the wound himself and then we'll heal it as best as we can." The adults all agreed with his course of action, before Lily gave the suggestion that they should leave the two Knights to recover completely; as his Mother left the room, Harry called out, "Could…ah," he groaned slightly as Hermione helped him sit upright, the wound on his shoulder still slightly draining on his energy, "Could someone check on the other Knights for me?"

"I will," Sirius told him, "I'll return to the school and keep a close eye on them: thankfully, your two days will mean a return on Thursday and that's _before_ a Hogsmeade weekend, so once you've recovered, you can see them and then I think you and your friends deserve a weekend to be the kids that you are."

"Thanks Sirius," Harry sighed, leaning back into Hermione's soft embrace; once Lily closed the door, he then asked, "Now; off the record, I need to know: are you mad with me Mione?"

"You scared me Harry," Hermione told him, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before she looked to the wound on his shoulder; without the infectious additions, it looked like he'd been caught in a bear-trap, though the wounds had an almost spiked edge that showed the serrated edge that had been the Horntail's teeth. "But not as much as I was scared when the dragon came at me: be honest, do you think it was…"

"Dumbledore," Harry nodded, "Which only adds to my thoughts that he was the one to put my name in the Goblet: he clearly _wants_ me to face Tom at the end of the year, but, unlike my real destiny, he wants it to be Knight Vs Knight."

"With him sweeping in to finish off whichever one of you is left," Hermione sighed, resting her head on top of Harry's as she continued to hold him, "But thanks to Amelia, we now have allies on our side and Dumbledore's on notice: maybe," she took a sigh before giving a hum of thought.

Looking up, Harry told her, "Go on."

"I was just thinking," Hermione explained, "Maybe we should speak to Amelia and see if we can have a little squad other than the Order watching Dumbledore and his moves. It's clear that the goblins, due to the fact that you were in danger, didn't want anything to do with this Tournament, so we need to figure out what the next task is and, if possible, also figure out what that old coot could do in regards to disrupting the trial."

"Whatever it is," Harry agreed, "We need to be ready: I mean there has to be a reason that five gemstones were used instead of five goblin-forged eggs; which reminds me: what were the scores?"

"They were marked out of 100," Hermione explained, "Based on technique; speed, condition of the nest and, of course, success of the task: I think that I heard Bagman saying you'd lose points for interfering in the trial."

"That I don't mind," Harry told her, linking his hand with hers as he smiled softly, "Even if it did end up costing me my magic, I'd risk everything to protect you Hermione; you know that don't you?"

"So…you're not upset?" asked Hermione, smiling herself as she felt her betrothed's positive emotions returning: sometimes, she was a real miracle worker for her distractions and her methods that Hermione understood what it was that had made Harry say those things on that fated day in the Hospital Wing.

"About what?" asked Harry, looking to Hermione as he felt a sensation of amusement through their bond.

"Well," Hermione admitted, running a stray hand through Harry's dark hair, an almost cheeky smile on her face. "If you end up losing points because of what happened, you know that will put me in the lead…so our bet is working in my favour."

'And somehow I don't care,' thought Harry, before he covered up his slyness as he answered her, "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to try harder in the next trial, won't I?"

"I guess so," Hermione chuckled, her voice filled with as much amusement as she was feeling from her lover; falling silent, the two of them just chose to enjoy each other's company while Harry actually chuckled mentally as he thought about the comings and goings that were to…well that were to come and go with whatever lay ahead.

A visit from Minerva as well as Severus would reveal such a change later that night…

_**HPHG**_

"A Ball?"

Harry, sitting comfortably in the living room of Albion House, stared in bewildered shock at Minerva as she finished explaining the task ahead: as one of the champions – or two given that Hermione was there as well – she'd felt it only right that Harry know of this beforehand.

"That's right," Minerva answered, "It's known as the Yule Ball and has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its founding: as the host school, it falls to Hogwarts to provide the right kind of atmosphere and, as Headmistress, the duty of those tasks and the information surrounding the Ball fall to me. Now, I don't really need to explain the finer points because they are already solved by you and Hermione being together, but here's what you need to know."

As Hermione linked her hand with Harry's, the Arch-Knight smiled as he sensed a rather inappropriate, but wanting thought of asking Harry to the ball coming from Hermione. As if he would choose anyone else to spend the evening and the night in his arms; there was just _one_ small problem: Harry had no idea how to dance.

'_I'll help you Sparky,_' Hermione told him, their linked hands tightening on one another as Minerva spoke up.

"The Ball is an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above; Dress robes will be worn and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now, I tell you both this because, as two of the five champions, you will be required to open the ball with the dance and, to do that, you will need a partner…or even a date, but I don't need to guess that the two of you will attend together. Now Harry, you and Hermione will be receiving private lessons on the weekends and I expect to see you both there looking like the best that you can, understand?"

"Yes Headmistress," Harry replied, his eyes shining at the thought of Christmas Night, of all times, spent dancing with his girl and making her feel like the Queen she was for all to see. He even had an idea of the attire that he would wear: Minerva had stated Dress Robes and Harry would wear dress robes, but not without putting his own flair on these things.

"Now," Minerva continued, "For the sake of your friends, I will inform Mr Longbottom, Miss Lovegood and have Madame Maxime pass on the message to Miss Delacour and her sister; for what it's worth Harry, I know I don't need to tell you to behave like a mature adult, because you've been doing that for so long now. I have to return to Hogwarts, so I will see you on Thursday and I hope that we can progress through the remainder of the Tournament without any more troubles."

"I hope so Minerva," Harry nodded, watching as the woman left the two Knights alone; when she was gone, Harry looked up from his chair into his Hermione's soft eyes. Kissing the back of her hand, he told her, "Do we really have to ask each other Hermione? We both know the answer anyway and there's no point in hiding it."

"I know Harry," Hermione replied, "I just hope I don't make myself look…well…wrong on the night."

"What?" asked Harry, "My beautiful Queen make herself look like a fool? There's more chance of Weasley being named as Master of the World."

Hermione gave him her thanks with a passionate kiss, both of them already making private plans for a way to surprise the other on the night of the Ball.

_**HPHG**_

After their two days of rest and relaxation, Harry and Hermione both returned to Hogwarts at full strength and ready to tackle the challenges that lay ahead for them: when they weren't in lesson or practicing their dance moves for the Ball, they were trying to solve the mystery of the crystals for the Second Task and their individual uniqueness and effect on the five champions. After just one week, Harry wasn't surprised when Neville and Luna also turned up at the lesson, Harry's blood-brother looking like he had just won the lottery while Luna was in a much better mood.

Surprisingly, though Harry suspected that it was because he had no real worries other than the Second Task to focus on, the Arch-Knight found himself adapting to the dance steps and routines for the Ball: when Minerva wasn't leading the lesson, Sirius, Remus and Sebastian were talking with Harry and Neville in regards to what he should and shouldn't do on the night. Similarly, Tonks, Lily and Emma were speaking with Hermione and Luna on the same subjects, though Hermione _did_ reveal that Tyler had asked Minerva's permission to have Tonks as a date for the dance.

Hearing this brought a change for the Ball: much to Harry's surprise, there were soon dates for the Ball for each member of the Order and Harry's little entourage; he made a list of the pairings so he knew who to keep an eye on and to make a record of who would be there if anything went wrong:

_Harry Potter/Hermione Potter_

_Neville Potter-Longbottom/Luna Lovegood_

_Tyler Kingston/Nymphadora Tonks_

_Sirius Black/Felicia Harrow_

_Remus Lupin/Elora Shaw_

_Lily Evans/Severus Snape – _when Harry discovered this one, he was stunned, but Lily explained that it was a thanks for being so different towards Harry and making up for what he had done in the past.

_Sebastian McDale/Amelia Bones_ – after the dragon fiasco, Amelia had been invited to the Ball and Tournament and, much to her surprise, Sebastian had been the one to ask her

_Dante McShane/Minerva McGonagall _– though they both insisted that it was because they were there as observers only.

Indeed, things were changing at Hogwarts and, as the fated night drew closer, Harry and Hermione began to allow themselves to be embraced by the familiar excitement that built around the Christmas period. Even Fleur and Gabrielle felt excited, though both were silent as to the partners they had for the Ball: much to Harry's surprise, when he saw Gabrielle before the Ball, he noticed her to look like a thirteen or fourteen year old. Questioning Fleur, the Arch-Knight discovered that Gabrielle's blessing of the power of thunder had given her the ability to undergo her Veela transformation early and without much pain.

For this, Gabrielle thanked Harry and promised she wouldn't show up the Holy Knights on the night of the Yule Ball, though when Harry requested to know who was escorting her, Gabrielle replied in fluent French, /_It's a surprise my captain; let's just say you two know each other._/

_That_ had Harry worried, but he trusted Gabrielle to make the right decisions in the end…

_**HPHG**_

Pretty soon, teenage angst, rapid responsive questions and mistaken Ball guests were put aside as Christmas morning dawned; when Harry awoke in the Chamber of Secrets – he'd converted it into a dorm as well as a study area after acquiring Fleur and Gabrielle as Knights – he was surprised to find he was alone and a note was pinned next to his head;

_Harry,_

_Don't worry about me: spending the day with Fleur, Gabrielle, Felicia, Elora and your Mum getting ready for tonight;_

_Don't open the bond at all today: I want tonight to be a surprise;_

_Rest assured my King, you will be surprised when we next meet;_

_Merry Christmas;_

_Hermione_

_PS: Don't make any plans for tomorrow: Mum and Dad want us to have a family gathering so we'll be going HOME after the Ball_

Reading the company that Hermione was spending time with helped to calm Harry's nerves: he didn't like leaving his queen alone, but given the adult company she was with, he didn't need to worry all that much. Throughout the day, the Arch-Knight distracted himself by wandering around the ground, enjoying the soft feel of snow under his boots before he returned to the Chamber of Secrets; when he arrived at the entrance, he wasn't surprised to find Sirius, Remus, Sebastian, Tyler and Neville all waiting for him.

Seeing their commander, Tyler actually blushed before he admitted, "Tonks' idea: she and Luna have gone to get ready with everyone else so she said we should come here and get ready with you Harry."

"Makes sense," Harry laughed, before he looked to Sebastian as he added, "What about Dante?"

"He'll be in robes," Sebastian explained, "But, like Dan and Emma, he's with Minerva as a sort of chaperone for the Ball."

"Then we have nothing to worry about," Harry sighed, opening the Chamber with a whisper of Parseltongue; summoning a winding stairway, he turned back and added, "Well we don't have long: let's make this a night to remember."

_**HPHG**_

Tension;

Nerves;

Fear;

Sickness;

Nausea;

All these things were filling the air and atmosphere of the Entrance Hall as students waited for their dates, all of them worried in one way or another, the emotions radiating from everywhere…and that was just Harry.

With Neville at his side, Harry actually swallowed hard and adjusted the collar on his robe, before he heard a soft gasp spread through the hall, Neville nudging him in the arm, "Turn around you lucky bastard."

Harry did so…and his reaction could have lit up all of Hogwarts with but a flick of his finger: Hermione was approaching and she was beautiful: she was dressed in a light blue gown that covered most of her chest and lower body, two straps secured over her shoulder, exposing her bare arms; the gown appeared to shine in the light of the Entrance Hall, making the Holy Knight look like her namesake. Her brown hair was done up and flowed partially down her back, a stray brown bang covering her right eye, as if hiding her watery-blue eye from those around her. Around her neck was a stunning diamond necklace, matching earrings hanging from her ears while a brooch that bore a charm shaped like a phoenix was secured around her wrist.

Approaching her, Harry gulped hard before he held out his hand and, lifting Hermione's hand to his lips, kissed it softly before he whispered, "Hermione; you look beautiful."

"As do you," Hermione replied, eyeing Harry's body: he was dressed in silver-coloured dress robes that held a mark on his shoulder shaped like the Crest of the Holy Knights; under the robe, Harry was dressed like a royal soldier, his jacket and shirt secured by gold clasps and bound by lace that crossed his chest. He wore white dress trousers and a pair of black shoes that he had personally acquired and kept perfect just for this night; unlike Hermione, Harry wore no jewellery, but the Holy Knight smiled when she felt a magical presence around her boyfriend that seemed to make him glow. His black hair, usually styled and messy-looking, was now combed to perfection, two bangs parting his fringe, clearly exposing his silver eye.

Liking what she was seeing, Hermione asked, "No Excalibur?"

"No," Harry answered, "Just…this."

With that, the magic that Hermione had felt faded away and she gasped when she saw the reason for Harry's bangs being parted like they were: his crown, the Crown of Camelot, was nestled securely under his black hair, the front end of the crown revealed so that it resembled a decorative circlet that made Harry shine even brighter.

"Is that safe?" she asked, "We don't want Dumbledore suspecting anything."

"He won't get the chance," Harry told her, "Minerva and Amelia personally saw to it that Dumbledore was away from the hall tonight: so tonight, I'm not a Gryffindor or a Triwizard Champion. Instead, I am who I am: a King; your King and your Champion, my Hermione."

"Thank you," Hermione smiled, before she looked past Harry and added, "Neville; you look stunning."

"Thank you Hermione," Neville smiled; like Harry, he was dressed in crimson dress robes that appeared to be made from the finest silk and adorned with the same Crest as Harry; beneath that, the Knight of Fire wore a black suit that only seemed to highlight his appearance; gone was the shy, timid Gryffindor and, on this night, he was officially reborn.

While the trio waited, they were soon treated to a double surprise: first, Fleur Delacour emerged and, at her side was none other than Harry and Hermione's rival in the Tournament, Cedric Diggory: both looked as calm and confident as the two royals and, dressed in her own flowing gown, Fleur appeared to come close to match Hermione in looks.

The second surprise, however, came when Gabrielle emerged from the outside, a black robe covering her shoulders, which she removed and handed to her date: he was dressed in emerald green robes with a high collar that made him look like a vicar; when Harry looked to the date of Gabrielle, he actually laughed for a moment.

"Excuse me," he told Hermione, parting from his date and crossing the hall; stopping before Gabrielle, Harry switched to French as he added, /_You were right Gabby; I did know him._/

/_You're not mad are you my captain?_/ asked Gabrielle, Harry shaking his head as he looked to her date.

Draco Malfoy;

"If you'll excuse us Gabrielle," Harry remarked, nodding aside; seeing the intense look in his eyes, Malfoy followed; moving to a quiet area of the hall, Harry stopped, turned to Draco and, keeping himself as calm as possible, addressed him. "If this is meant to be some kind of ploy because she has Veela blood, then tell me now so I can rip you apart Malfoy."

"Look," Draco replied, his tone as hostile as Harry's, "Potter…sorry, Sir Potter," Harry was surprised when he noticed there was no ounce of sarcasm in the address. "I don't mean Miss Delacour any harm: the truth of it is that I wish to prove myself to you now that my Father has warned me away from you; so, when she told me of how her and her sister was friends of yours, I went ahead and asked her and she accepted. I'll admit," both boys looked to where Fleur and Gabrielle were admiring Hermione's choice of dress. "She is a beautiful young girl and you're lucky to be her friend, but, if you're willing to let me try, I would like to prove I can change."

"I see," Harry sighed, "And what brought on such a change Malfoy?"

"Last year," Draco explained, "When you…punished Weasel-bee and I for what we tried to do to your betrothed: it was stupid, reckless and childish and, more than anyone, I should have known that there would be consequences for messing with someone as powerful as you. I didn't say anything because I wanted to observe you and see what I could do to try and earn your favour, but, for now, I want you to know I mean Miss Delacour no ill will: you have my word…my Lord."

Draco bowed his head as he finished, but Harry, looking back to Gabrielle, actually sighed before he spoke again, "You hurt her; you upset her or you think of using her to get to me in a bad way and you will wish for a repeat of last Christmas: are we understanding each other…Draco?"

"Yes…Harry," Draco replied, before he watched as Harry walked back across the hall to where Hermione was waiting.

"What was that about?" asked the Knight of Ocean, earning a soft kiss from Harry as they watched Gabrielle and Draco reunite.

"Just talking about where we go from here," Harry told her, "And it looks like his intentions are true: but it's early days yet."

When Professor McGonagall called the Champions over, Harry and Hermione then gained another surprise when they not only caught sight of Luna, who was dressed in a sky-blue gown that appeared to shift and almost shimmer like the rays of the sun, but also when they noticed the date of the final champion, Viktor Krum: it was Ginny!

'_No wonder she's been kind of quiet lately,_' Hermione told Harry, '_She looks beautiful: she's happy._'

'_I know,_' Harry answered, catching Ginny's eye; as she blushed at him, Harry made a note to watch Viktor carefully: he had been hanging around Hermione as well and had even asked her to go with him. When she had turned him down, Viktor had gone to hit her, but not before he'd found Excalibur at his throat, Harry warning him to stay away from Hermione.

If his intentions spoke volumes with Hermione, then Harry knew he should keep an eye on Ginny: now that her and her brothers were protected by his House, Harry felt a small amount of responsibility for her.

The Champions led the others into the Great Hall, Harry and Hermione smiling when they saw their adult chaperones/guests waiting at the Head Table; for a moment, Harry confessed to Hermione that he thought his Mum and Severus actually looked comfortable with each others presence. Down the table, Tyler and Tonks looked as warm and comfortable as Harry and Hermione felt and, as they looked to the judges table, Harry still tried not to laugh when he saw Sebastian with Amelia. Catching the Minister's eye, Harry winked once and moved to sit with them, Hermione being treated like the queen she was as Harry did everything he'd been taught: he pulled out her chair, adjusted her cloak so that she was comfortable and even waited until she was seated before he sat next to Amelia.

"You two look like angels," Amelia told him, Hermione blushing slightly as the other champions joined them.

"You can talk," laughed Harry, "What made you ask Sebastian?"

"Well," Amelia replied, before she leaned in close to Harry and whispered, "I needed a reason to see you Harry and besides, I guess he _is_ sort of…well, nice-looking."

'_Merlin help us,_' Harry thought to Hermione, '_Our Minister's in love._'

Hermione just shook her head, watching as the other guests and their dates took their seats; following that, Minerva demonstrated how they order their meals before the room became filled with silent conversation. Harry, remembering what Amelia had just said, asked, "What did you want to talk about Amelia?"

"The next task," Amelia answered, all of the champions now looking up as she nodded, "After Harry's act of bravery in the First Task and his insistence against Bagman, we all agreed to inform you of the next task tonight: as Minister, I will personally referee the task and have Mr McDale here, Sir Potter's protector and friend, as a guard."

"Why?" asked Cedric, "What does the Second Task have to do with those gems we found?"

"Well," Amelia replied, "The answer is: nothing; the gems were used as a test of your mettle and magical skill, all of whom passed here today; now, the real second task involves something much more dangerous."

"Minister," Harry suddenly spoke up, his voice dangerously low, "If it is dangerous, then tell me now: will every precaution be made to ensure that what happened with the Horntail doesn't happen again?"

"It will Sir Potter," Amelia replied, fully aware of the warning that Harry had just given her. "The Second Task, you see, involves something that is from ancient Mythology: a labyrinth."

"A maze?" asked Harry, "Why?"

"Because," Amelia answered, "After the goblins denied our request for the original Second Task, we had to improvise: so, the Second Task will now be what the Third Task was meant to be and, for the Third Task, it will now be a no-holds barred Duelling tournament between the five of you, but there will be more on that later. Now, in the centre of this maze will be five replicas of the Triwizard Cup, each one attuned to your magical signatures; the task is simple, survive the maze and retrieve the correct Cup, which will have one name inside it: that will be your first opponent in the Third Task."

"Wow," Cedric gasped, "That sounds like fun, but Minister? There are five of us, so who's to say that one of us won't get a name twice, such as Sir Potter for example?"

"In response to that question," Amelia explained, "One of the cups holds a mystery name: that name will only be known to the fifth champion, alias the one who draws the name and, on the day of the Third Task, it will be the fifth champion against a mystery opponent while the other four take on each other."

Somehow Harry, and though he didn't know it then, the other Champions had a sneaking suspicion that Amelia was referring to Harry when she spoke of a fifth champion.

But who was the mystery opponent?

When the meals vanished, the hall was filled with music and Harry felt like he was now on cloud nine; every move he made was as swift and fluent as he could recall: there wasn't a single step out of place and, during one particularly slow dance, he and Hermione seemed to become the centre of attention when they appeared to be lost in each other, the other students applauding the two when they finished with a kiss.

Truly, the Yule Ball had become the turning point for Harry and Hermione…and there was so much left to do…and so little time…

**Chapter 35 and I apologise for the briefness of the Ball, but I wanted to keep the story going; so, with the maze up next, what will Harry do to achieve victory?**

**Also, who is the mystery opponent and who will face them?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: The Second Task approaches and Harry has a surprise meeting beforehand; plus, there's a few twists and turns in the maze and a new ally makes himself an official member; plus, Harry and Hermione complete the bond when Hermione has doubts about the change in plans: what is Harry so confidant about that he would bring his plans forwards?**

**Please Read and Review…**


	36. The Inevitable Event

The Chronicles of Camelot: Swords of Destiny

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

**Key Pairings: **Harry/Hermione; Neville/Luna

**Side Pairings: **eventual Sebastian/Amelia; Tyler/Tonks

**Review Answers for Ch 35:**

**Stallion6 of Deviantart: I thank you for that kind remark;**

**DarkHeart81: With magic, anything is possible;**

**IronLad: No, but there will be a surprise with what is to come;**

**StormyFireDragon: Well guess what Storm; you don't have long to wait for that;**

**T4: It may surprise you;**

**Harryhermionealways: Yeah and you'd be right, but I'm not saying much;**

**Lady Cougar-Trombone: Of course he is and here is that return;**

_When the meals vanished, the hall was filled with music and Harry felt like he was now on cloud nine; every move he made was as swift and fluent as he could recall: there wasn't a single step out of place and, during one particularly slow dance, he and Hermione seemed to become the centre of attention when they appeared to be lost in each other, the other students applauding the two when they finished with a kiss._

_Truly, the Yule Ball had become the turning point for Harry and Hermione…and there was so much left to do…and so little time… _

Chapter 36: The Inevitable Event

Now that they had knowledge of the Second Task, both Harry and Hermione mad sure to increase their training sessions with Sebastian and, at times, Sirius and Remus, all the while having Lily and Severus watch their health and ensure they stayed safe and strong. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that the Second Task was when he would meet with his Last Knight and he was more than prepared to bring his plans ahead for the sake of the completion of his Circle.

However, as January started to pass them by, Hermione asked Harry for a private meeting in the Lion's Wing one Saturday afternoon: everyone else was down at Hogsmeade for a post-holiday weekend so they were more or less alone; seated in the now commonly used Common Room of the Wing, Harry held Hermione in his arms as he asked her, "What's wrong Kitten? You're giving me a bit of a headache with your negative emotions: are you scared?"

"It's…it's just…I was worried," Hermione answered, her hands actually trembling in Harry's hands as he held onto her, "I…I don't know much about the Third Task, but, on a point, what if the mystery opponent is someone with a grudge against you?"

"You mean Dumbledore?" asked Harry, Hermione nodding as she tried not to show any weakness around her betrothed: they had spent the day after the Yule Ball in a real festive mood with their family and that had brought the kind of smile back to Harry's face that hadn't been seen since Hermione had kissed him after he'd sat on his throne in Camelot Castle. Hugging his girl close to his body, Harry tried to calm her nerves, "If he tries anything and I say if, then I have more than enough power to take him head-on: on the other hand," as he said this, he ran a soft hand through Hermione's dark hair as he continued. "I have nothing to fear because this little duelling competition will prove once and for all that my powers are as strong as I say they are; it doesn't matter what I have to do for the Tournament or for us Mione, I will emerge victorious through it all."

"Thank you Harry," sighed Hermione, now resting her head on his lap as she tried to get over her doubts, "But what about the maze? The prophecy that Artemis gave you said that you'd meet Tom when the four become one, but now there's five of us, how will it change things?"

"It won't," Harry answered her, "I will meet with Tom sooner or later and I will give him my blood willingly; if I have to, I'll add Excalibur's magic to whatever ritual brings him back to ensure that I come back as the leader of a completed Order of Knights. Trust in me Hermione and I will always come back to you."

"You know," Hermione smiled, now lifting her head so that she could kiss his lips, "You always sound so strong when you speak as the leader that you are: how do you know that you'll survive what the Tournament has ahead?"

"Because," Harry replied, guiding her aside so that he could stand up; turning back to her, Harry winked before he shed his robes, exposing his pale chest and body, "I'm not going to wait any longer; not with this change of plans."

"Y-You mean?" asked Hermione, gasping at the sight of her betrothed looking so strong and so healthy: it was like he was a whole new person again.

"I do," Harry told her, "If you want to Hermione; this way, we have time to explore our advanced power before the Second Task: but only if you…"

He didn't get to finish as Hermione wrapped her arms around him, placing a passionate kiss on his lips as she pushed him back, their magic meeting as their emotions heightened…

_**HPHG**_

Down in Hogsmeade, Neville and Luna suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, Luna gasping as she dropped the Butterbeer she was holding; the reason for their reaction was the wave of magic that had passed between the two soul-bonded Holy Knights; looking to his girl, Neville asked, "Harry?"

"And Hermione," Luna answered, before she giggled as she told him, "Oh well; it was inevitable, but what could…this mean?"

"Maybe it's our power," Neville suggested, "The Arch-Knight and Arch-Mage have been found so the Knights are formed together and become who we're meant to be: I mean," he lifted a hand and summoned a ball of white flames that seemed to waver like a candle flame in the breeze, "I can actually feel the fire inside me: it's like there's a dragon within me."

"I…I know what you mean," Luna gasped, "I…I can feel the very air around me: it seems to tingle with magic that I can see now that…well now that it's official. Why do you think they advanced their plans anyway Neville?"

"Why else?" asked Neville, "Now they'll be bonded in every way and Hermione will have access to the power of the elements as a whole: these bonuses give them an advantage in the Tournament and they can help one another without realising it."

"Isn't that…cheating?" asked Luna, ordering another drink as she listened to her bonded, "Helping one another like that."

"Luna," Neville sighed, moving around the table as he kissed his girl on her cheek; lowering his voice, the Knight of Fire told her, "Harry's King of Camelot and Lord and owner of Hogwarts: who cares?"

_**HPHG**_

Lily Evans was busy grading her newest assignments from her fourth-year class when she too suddenly stopped dead, a warm tingling magic rushing through her Light-Blessed body; looking around, the Holy Knight of Light just sighed before she shook her head.

"You and I are going to have words when this is done young man," she whispered, her voice trying and failing to carry to Harry.

It was a good thing that Sirius wasn't a Holy Knight because, if he could feel this, he would have a field day and Lily would have to put him back in the doghouse.

'Come out of this safe my son,' she thought, before returning to her work.

_**HPHG**_

Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour were busy researching methods for the next task when they felt the wave of magic pass over them; unlike the other Knights, they didn't panic: instead, Fleur held onto her younger sister before she whispered, /_Our leaders have become their true forms._/

/_We are one,_/ Gabrielle told her, both of them remaining together before the wave passed them, allowing the Knight of Terra and Thunder to return to their research.

Fleur, reading through several ways to harness the earth for her task, already knew who would emerge victorious in all of this…

_**HPHG**_

In a seemingly abandoned house in the south of England, a weakened, but very much alive corpse suddenly snapped his head up, a pair of dark brown eyes suddenly flashing blood red as a wave of magic passed through him, something inside him snapping from the life he'd so desperately held onto for all these years.

Rising with some difficulty from the chair he was seated in, the figure, a weaker, but still very much alive form of Tom Riddle, once known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, stared out over the graveyard near to his family home, a look of hope filling his eyes as he whispered, "See you soon Harry."

Even as he said the words, an aura of darkness rose from the earth and enveloped the body, its magic growing stronger, but Tom knew he wouldn't be truly alive until the part of him that was Voldemort was dead and buried.

And for that, he needed Harry James Potter; Arch-Knight of the Elemental Order…

_**HPHG**_

Indeed, just as the Holy Knights felt one surge of magic pass through their bodies, all around Hogwarts, the portraits, ghosts and even the suits of armour shuddered as magic flowed through the cores of their being, the suits of armour rattling as the magic seemed to clean their rusted and slightly damaged appearances.

In the Headmistress' office, Fawkes and the Sorting Hat seemed to glow with recognition of what was happening, both of them giving a cry of power and strength that flowed through all of Hogwarts.

In the Lion's Wing, a certain Founder's portrait joined in the crying song that echoed between him and his three counterparts;

Down in the Chamber of Secrets, a certain statue actually opened its eyes and joined in the cry;

Up in the Room of Requirement, a violet-coloured apparition rose from a diadem and, raising her head to the sky, let out her song of succession and empowerment;

Deep within the network of Hogwarts' House Elves, an ancient spirit awoke again, her eyes looking upon her descendants and her founding children and, watching them, she smiled before joining in the song.

_**HPHG**_

Harry snapped his eyes open as the sound of Hogwarts' song hit him hard, his magic spiking while next to him, her hair slightly dishevelled from the actions of their _completing_ the bond between them, Hermione turned over in her sleep and, opening her mouth, seemed to let out a mournful, but power-induced tune that reminded Harry of the songs of the siren from mythology.

'What is happening?' he asked himself, looking all around, the school's song of power and succession making his blood rush with raw power, 'I don't regret what I did, but why…'

'_Magic itself is singing our praise my love,_' Hermione told him, her bright brown eyes now back to normal as she looked to Harry, who – though he wouldn't discover it until later – now bore a pair of strong, magically-transformed golden-coloured eyes that burned like the sun. '_We and the Knights are the only ones who hear her: I know you don't regret it and I thank you for it._'

'_What do we do Kitten?_' asked Harry, before his question seemed to be answered as a tendril of magic flowed through his body, his mind feeling like it had been blown up from the inside; falling back onto the bed – when had he been taken _here?_ – Harry gasped as his mind became one with the song of magic, the tune making the very core of his magical being come alive. Soon, a glorious smile crossed Harry's face as he found both he and Hermione bathed in light, the magic of Hogwarts supporting them; looking to her, Harry asked, '_Hermione?_'

'_Yes Harry?_' asked Hermione, her body tingling as the magic of their bond's aftermath washed over them.

'_We may be bonded,_' he told her, '_But don't expect me to hold back now that the deed is done and we are well and truly one._'

'_What kind of King would go easy when he has all this power?_' asked Hermione, before she pushed Harry onto the bed and kissed him again, both of them allowing the magic to fill them as Hermione added, '_Not to mention what kind of husband would you be if…_'

'_Shit,_' Harry swore, earning a light tap from Hermione, '_I forgot completing the bond would mean_ that_: oh Merlin, Uncle Dan's going to have my head when he puts two and two together._'

'_Then he'll have to go through the Queen of Camelot to get to you,_' Hermione told her husband, Harry sighing with contentment as she let herself be pulled into his embrace.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way my love," he whispered, both of them allowing their relaxing periods to be brought upon them as the song and magic of Hogwarts finally passed over them.

The biggest adventure of their lives was now over…and their destiny was all that lay ahead of them;

_**HPHG**_

When the adults found out about what Harry and Hermione had done – at least those who didn't know already – the King of Camelot was right when he said Dan would hit the roof: he was given a rather stern lecture and told not to try anything too big just yet. Harry put that down to Dan being a Father and translated it to mean he didn't want to be a Grandfather just yet; a fact that Harry agreed with him about wholeheartedly: he didn't really want to be a Dad until after he left Hogwarts.

Sirius, as Lily had predicted, made a joke about Harry becoming a man; a comment that had him chained to a cramped doghouse for the rest of the weekend when Lily was finished with him, though neither of them could deny how they felt for their wards and allies.

Sebastian and the Order saw fit to increase their training of the new, and officially-crowned King and Queen of Camelot, Harry and Hermione both discovering surprises in their power as the rest of January passed them by and February crept up on them, bringing with it the date of the Second Task. It seemed that, now he was officially, fully and completely in synch with Hermione and the powers of the elements, Harry had an easier time commanding their power and their strength: he also learned about the command of the creatures associated with each element and some rather unique skills, such as using fire to shroud him from an ice attack or vice versa – water with fire – as well as summoning dark-forged objects to help carve a way to his target.

Another ability that came easily to Harry and Hermione was the control and masteries that they possessed with Excalibur and Nimueh, the two blades now like a pair of extensions no matter who held them. Their duelling drills usually ended with two very tired, but very pleased Arch-Knight and Arch-Mage, both of them able to equal the other in power and, though no-one else knew it, both Harry and Hermione were more than ready for the second task and everything it would bring.

So, on February 24th, the date of the Second Task, while all the members of the three schools were gathered in a stadium-like seating area, in front of the massive maze where the five cups waited for their champions, Harry and Hermione both realised just what it would mean when the end came and the official champion was crowned.

Amelia Bones, acting as official judge and referee for the event, calmed the crowd before she spoke, "Ladies and gentlemen: welcome to the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament; now, hidden in that maze, contrary to past Tournaments and events, are five cups; each one is personally tuned to the magical signature of the associated Champion and inside the cup will be a name: that name is the Champion's opponent for the final task. As scores stand, we have Miss Hermione Potter in the lead with 93 points, followed by Viktor Krum with 84; then we have Sir Potter with 75: it would have been more, but due to Sir Potter's interference in the last task, he was deducted points."

'_Told you that would happen,_' Hermione commented dryly, '_Though Amelia did confide in me that, if that hadn't happened, you'd have gained 100 points out of 100._'

'_It's not the points,_' Harry sent back as Amelia announced Cedric and Fleur's points, '_I told you before Kitten; I would risk everything if it meant you were safe, but in here we'll be adversaries, so be careful._'

'_I will,_' Hermione told him, just as a cannon sounded and, like runners in a marathon, all five champions made their way into the maze, Harry more than aware of the entrance he had used closing behind him. Ever persistent to get to the point, the King of Camelot reached down to his belt and unsheathed Excalibur, before he poured a small amount of Light magic into the sword, turning it into a glowing magical weapon and guiding light.

The inside of the maze was almost like something out of a horror movie: when Harry tried to turn in one direction, he found he couldn't turn back as the entranceway closed behind him: at one point, he was completely cut off, but, calming his thoughts, the King of Camelot simply tapped into the power of Terra and carved a new path through the foliage.

Then, just a few pathways from the centre of the maze, Harry stopped dead, his eyes suddenly looking around, his hand flexing around Excalibur as he'd heard something: a twig or a foliage being pushed aside, a loud snapping echoing all around him: for a second, Harry considered the fact that it was just one of the champions, but something inside him told him different.

Then, just as Harry rounded another corner, he lifted Excalibur suddenly as a cry came from his left; whirling round, Harry was surprised when he parried the blow of another goblin-steel sword and, on the end of that sword was none other than Ronald 'Dead Man Walking' Weasley; facing his one-time friend, Harry asked, "Weasley, how the fuck did you get in here?"

"Shut your mouth Potter," snapped Ron, their blows deflecting one another as he asked, "What? Afraid to face the unexpected in a place you can't escape?"

"How did…" Harry gasped, looking to the sword, "How?"

"Professor Dumbledore," Ron laughed, going for a side-ways strike that would have broken a few ribs…if Harry wasn't the master that he had become; deflecting the blade again, Harry flicked his wrist once and parried the blow, sending his own sword against Ron's hand, the red-headed idiot crying out as the two old friends circled one another. "He forged this blade especially for me after you humiliated me: what? Did you think I'd let you walk away after you tricked me into being your slave?"

"Ron," Harry growled, Excalibur's blade reacting to his emotions as its steel-edged design started to glow and crackle with white lightning, "Don't challenge me: you won't like the outcome."

"I already know the outcome," Ron laughed, charging again and again Harry dodged the blow, but this time, Ron followed through by using the pommel of his sword and smashing Harry's teeth in; with a cry, Harry pushed his free hand outwards, a blast of wind sending Ron flying through the brush as Harry used the power of Light to heal his bloody teeth. Ron, however, was still grandstanding, "I beat you and you forfeit your powers and that Mudblood to me and then I decide to either let you live or leave you for You-Know-Who."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry, now using his Terra abilities again: summoning thick vines from the foliage around them, Harry blocked Ron's path, knowing the red-head would have to cut his way through and Harry, in his heart of hearts, didn't have time to dance with this deadman. "How does he seem so confidant of that?"

Ron gave a laugh from the other side, Harry then gasping as, with one swipe of his own sword, Ron carved a path through the barrier, his eyes on Harry, "Haven't you figured it out yet? Dumbledore set you up Potter: like a lamb to the slaughter; he had Percy sneak in here with the Ministry members and put your name in the Goblet and then he cursed that Mudblood's dragon so you'd do what you did: but you had to sneak through it again didn't you?"

"And you're the last piece," Harry growled, summoning more tendrils from the maze, their thorn-lined embrace snaking around Ron's body, holding him in place like a worm on a hook. "What's this meant to be Ron? A distraction? Revenge? What? Just tell me because I'm confused."

"This?" asked Ron, "This is personal: he's been training me all summer and since you continued to humiliate me: when you cast him out, I snuck out of school and continued my training: well, now look; here you are. I'll slay you and claim everything you have by right of conquest and then _I'll_ be the hero around here."

"You're still an idiot," Harry sighed, shaking his head as he stepped back and, sheathing Excalibur, turned on his heel, "You were always a fool Ron; do you actually think you'll beat my power?"

"Yes," Ron laughed, before he heard the slicing sound again and the delusional Weasley hiss, "Now die Potter!"

Harry, rounding on Ron, shook his head sadly: time seemed to slow down as the two long-time friends and companions faced one another; looking to the delusional boy, Harry whispered, "Don't do it: you can't beat me."

Ron charged, his sword pointed in front of him, but Harry, realising that the choice was inevitable, told him, "I'm sorry for this."

Then, lifting one hand, Harry unleashed a powerful bolt of white lightning, the elemental energy electrocuting Ron's body through the metal of the sword in his hand; Harry, being one of pure light and a king of goodness, held the effect for only a moment before he released it, Ron falling to the floor as Harry then summoned a mix of stone and ice trapping Weasley in the ground.

"Y-Y-You D-D-D-Dark W-W-W-W-Wizard," Ron gasped, Harry now approaching him as he faced Ron.

"No Ron," he told him, "I'm not a Dark Wizard: just different to your puppet-master and someone that has spared your life today: remember that because next time I won't hold back."

With that, Harry used his Terra abilities and carved a path through the foliage, moving off through the undergrowth and leaving his first friend and now his enemy behind.

However, had he looked back, he would have seen Ron look up, before he told the darkness, "I failed."

"Yes," hissed a voice, cold as death and filled with rage, "You did; and now you have outlived your usefulness: _Avada Kedavra!_"

The Killing Curse filled the maze and, in the afterglow, Albus Dumbledore emerged from the shadows, his eyes filled with fire as he looked to where Harry had vanished;

"You _will_ bow to me you stupid boy," he hissed, "I am the one true saviour here and you will see that!"

_**HPHG**_

Cheers started to ring through the arena as three of the champions had already made their way out of the maze bearing their cups and the name of their final opponent in this extremely unique Tournament; however, inside the maze, Harry stood with Hermione, both of them looking to the podiums where their Cups were standing. Taking his Queen's hand, Harry explained, "Mine is enchanted Hermione: no doubt a Portkey from Dumbledore; listen, take yours and leave here; get back to Albion House or go to the Chamber and just wait for me. Don't let anyone enter or leave unless they're one of us and don't allow yourself to be trapped by any who are our enemies."

"You will be careful, won't you Harry?" asked Hermione, her eyes now on Harry as he approached his indicated cup. "What if…what if something goes wrong and _he_ comes back?"

"I won't let that happen," Harry told her, before he turned and, pulling Hermione into his arms, kissed her for all she was worth, both of them lost in a moment of passion that seemed to last forever. When they parted, Harry added, "Wait for me…my Queen."

"I will," Hermione replied, watching as Harry took his cup; there was a flash of red light and Hermione reached out and grabbed her cup, its magic taking her back to the entrance of the maze where everyone else was waiting.

_**HPHG**_

Harry felt the word spin endlessly, his mind and body meeting somewhere in the middle as he crashed down onto solid stone, a sense of darkness all around him that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time: looking around, Harry gasped when he saw that he was standing in a graveyard, a large pewter cauldron set in the centre.

Keeping his eyes open for any sign of trouble, Harry tried the oldest trick in the book: he resorted to Parseltongue, {Tom? Where are you? I'm here: come out and face me.}

"Hello Harry Potter," a slick voice spoke up, Harry now turning to see a frail, but no doubt alive Tom Riddle standing against what appeared to be a stone angel: he reminded Harry of a starved and dehydrated man that was only standing on sheer willpower. "At the risk…of sounding cliché; I've been expecting you."

"I can bet you have," Harry told him, nodding to the cauldron as he asked, "So is that how we do this? Because I'm not here to bring Voldemort back: I'm here for Tom Riddle."

"Then…you do it?" asked Tom, watching as Harry approached him, before he nodded once, "I see it now: you truly are reborn aren't you my one-time enemy?"

"I am," Harry answered him, "And I willingly give my blood."

Even as he said the words, Harry pointed the tip of his wand at his arm and, with a quick hiss of Parseltongue, he seemed to draw a rather long and thick tendril of crimson blood from his arm in the same manner that someone would draw out a memory for a Pensieve; drawing out almost the equivalent of a half-pint of his blood, Harry used his water control to hover the crimson liquid over his hand before he asked, "What do you need Tom?"

"Put it in the cauldron," Tom explained, watching as Harry did so; when the blood hit the contents of the cauldron, Tom gave a weak smile before he asked, "Why do you do this? After what I did to you?"

"You're one of us," Harry explained, "Lord Emrys himself told me how Grindelwald anointed you and how you were lost to the darkness because you sought to equal the power of Lady Artemis: well, it's too late for any kind of mercy killing and I'm no murderer, so I chose to do this to help the both of us."

"And for that I thank you," Tom replied, before he stepped past Harry and, with a soft smile, told him, "You are the Arch-Knight: King of Camelot and my leader; I know I can never make up for what I did to you and your family, but, if I can, then rest assured that whatever you ask, I will serve."

"Thank you Tom," Harry nodded, now stepping back as he asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No," the ex-Dark Lord replied, before he shed his cloak, Harry turning his head slightly as the seemingly elderly man stepped into the cauldron, the contents already mixing around his body; as his body seemed to sink into the potion, or whatever it was, he explained, "I managed to acquire the other items I needed for my return: right now, your Majesty, you need to return to Hogwarts so you can protect your friends. At the end of term, I will be there for you and I will swear my fealty: until then, Sir Potter."

Harry, inclining his head, gave a firm answer, "Until then Sir Riddle."

Then, in a flash of red light, Harry grabbed the Portkey and left the graveyard, leaving Tom Riddle to be reborn into the world as the being that he was meant to be all this time;

The Holy Knight of Darkness…

**Chapter 36 and again I apologise for the change in the return: I know it's not what the original challenge desired – I realised that when I found Sirius freed – but I hope that what I did in this chapter compensates for it.**

**So, Tom's back, Ron's DEAD, Dumbledore has shown his true colours and the King and Queen have become one: what's left for the two now that the Tournament is almost over?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out;**

**Next Chapter: Harry returns to Hogwarts where he finds an unwelcome surprise; the end of an era is brought about by a duel that is long overdue and it's the end of the adventure for Harry and Hermione; what lies ahead for them when all is said and done? (YES THIS MEANS THAT THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE FINAL CHAPTER IN THE CHRONICLES)**

**Please Read and Review…**


	37. The Final Showdown

The Chronicles of Camelot

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

**Notes: **This story is dedicated to MariusDarkwolf for his brilliant story Harry Potter and the Eyes of the Serpent: a recommended read

Normal Speech

'Thought'

{Parseltongue}

'_Mind Speech_'

/_Speaking in a foreign language_/

Harry/Hermione;

**NO REVIEW ANSWERS HERE BECAUSE I WISH TO THANK EVERYONE WHO READ AND REVIEWED AND FAVOURITED THE WORK; OVER 6 MONTHS OF WRITING, REWRITING, ERRORS AND BLOCKS AND NOW IT'S FINALLY HERE: THE END OF THE CHRONICLES OF CAMELOT!**

_Harry, inclining his head, gave a firm answer, "Until then Sir Riddle."_

_Then, in a flash of red light, Harry grabbed the Portkey and left the graveyard, leaving Tom Riddle to be reborn into the world as the being that he was meant to be all this time;_

_The Holy Knight of Darkness…_

Chapter 37: The Final Showdown

Harry's body spun through the emptiness of the air with centrifugal force, the Arch-Knight coming to a rather painful landing on the ground outside the maze; as soon as he landed, however, the schools had all cheered and Harry noticed Hermione running towards him: she barely got three inches from him, before a pair of strong arms pinned Harry to the ground again, his grunts of complaint being unheard as Excalibur was torn from his side.

"What?" asked the stunned voice of Amelia Bones, "What's going on here?"

"This is none of your concern Minister," a cold, but familiar voice hissed, Harry's rage suddenly growing again as he recognised the old fool. "We have had reports of the Avada Kedavra used in the maze and the source of that magic was none other than Harry here."

"Bullshit!" snapped Harry, trying to rise against the force of whoever or whatever was pinning him to the ground, "Amelia: check my wand; ask me for an oath; you know I have my rights!"

"I'm afraid not Harry," sneered another familiar voice, Harry then looking up into the face of Cornelius Fudge, who was close to laughing as he explained, "Witnessed use of the Unforgivables plus the death of an old family member warrants life in Azkaban!"

"Old fam…" Harry began, but stopped when, at the edge of his vision, he caught sight of a stretcher being rolled out of the maze, a familiar head of red hair lying still and unmoving upon it. "Oh you senile deluded old bastard," he snarled, "You actually think _this_ will get me back on your side?"

"Of course not Harry," Dumbledore answered, now approaching Harry and, extending his hand, taking Excalibur from the guard that had stripped the blade from Harry's side. Turning it over, he sighed as he explained, "I just see that you are possessed by forces unknown and the only way to release you…" he trailed off, but Harry shivered as he felt Excalibur's steel against his neck, "Is to kill you."

"True words Dumbledore," Fudge grinned, but Harry, seething with rage as he put two and two together, finally snapped: summoning _all_ of his elemental power, he released it in a torrential arc of fire, ice and lightning that sent Fudge, Dumbledore and their guardsmen flying back. Leaping to his feet, Harry extended his hand and Dumbledore gasped as Excalibur returned to the hand of its real master; as soon as Harry clasped the sword, he spun on the spot and summoned a ring of fire and darkness, his eyes narrow and filled with rage.

"You bastard Dumbledore," he snarled coldly, his golden-coloured eyes now burning like the fires of a phoenix. "You think some trumped-up charges and the word of the _ex_ Minister of Magic are enough to take me down? You clearly forget who you are dealing with!"

Looking all around the circle, Harry lifted Excalibur and parted the flames, allowing the Holy Knights and his Queen to move to his side; as Hermione took his hand, she asked him, "What are you going to do Harry?"

"End this," Harry explained, addressing the crowd as a whole, "I am Harry James Potter, Arch-Knight and Commander of the Elemental Order; Lord and Master of Hogwarts School and the Founders _and_ Crowned King of the magical realm of Camelot!"

"Lies!" snapped Fudge, but he was cut off by Harry's flames, "The realm of Camelot is non-existent: the so-called _King_ is but a legend: there is only one ruler of the magical world and, once you're dealt with _boy_: he will be me!"

"Sadly Cornelius," Harry told him, "You won't get that chance."

Clicking his fingers, Harry summoned chains that appeared to be a mix of light, ice and steel that wrapped around the arms and legs of the former Minister, the Arch-Knight turning back to Dumbledore.

"Harry," Dumbledore gasped, "Why…why didn't you tell me? We could work together on this: it's not too late!"

"Oh," Harry sighed, "I'm afraid it is Dumbledore: you took my life from me by leaving me with Muggles; you allowed a traitor to cause the death of my Father and force my Mother to become a spirit of the ether and then you tried to bind my power and turn me against another Knight. I believe you've heard of him old man: Tom Riddle!"

"He…he's back?" asked Dumbledore, and that was when a plume of darkness rose into the circle and, from within the darkness came a man in his twenties with raven-black hair and cold, dark eyes; he was dressed in a midnight-blue robe with a crescent moon on his crest, a sword with a jet-black blade at his side. Lifting his hand, the figure dispersed the darkness and, turning to Harry, dropped to one knee, his blade held flat in his palm.

"My King," Tom Riddle spoke up, "I am reborn and now my powers are the allies and service of the Elemental Order: I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Holy Knight of Darkness, pledge my allegiance."

"Thank you Tom," Harry replied, "You may rise."

When the ex-Dark Lord did so, he turned to Dumbledore before taking his place at Harry's side, the circle of Knights now glowing even brighter as Harry let his power extend outwards, allowing the powers that be to decide the Last Knight. While the decision was being made, Harry shook his head slowly as he explained, "I would have gladly worked with you Dumbledore, but you did so much to weaken and make me your slave that those options have gone out the window. Had you been the grandfatherly, warm and respectable wizard that I'd seen and known on my first day here then I would have willingly brought you into the Circle, but no more."

"You'll still die!" Dumbledore insisted, not really caring about the allies that were hearing his words, "Because you seal your fate allying with him Harry: how do you know he won't turn on you?"

"Because Voldemort is dead," Tom informed Dumbledore, "As are the Horcruxes that you allowed me to create Dumbledore: did you know that it was him who set me on that path?" he asked Harry, who shook his head as Tom continued, "I was introduced to this world by Dumbledore, but only _after_ Grindelwald himself had anointed me as the Holy Knight of Darkness. He himself was the Holy Knight of Terra and wanted to unite the world using his moniker for the Greater Good, but then he met a man who trapped him, betrayed him and killed him: that man's name was Albus Dumbledore."

"Gellert was a fool," Dumbledore snarled, "As are you Tom: you cannot hope to defeat me now as you thought then; even your Horcruxes wouldn't save you."

"Weren't you listening?" asked Tom, "The Horcruxes are destroyed old man: the snake, the diadem, the cup, the locket, the diary, the ring _and_ the one that was inside Harry: that one was destroyed when he became his birthright of the Holy Knight of Thunder. Which reminds me," he then reached into his pocket and, turning to Harry, held out his hand, "I believe you were looking for this."

Opening his palm, Tom revealed a small diamond-shaped black stone that seemed to hover in the air before Harry took the stone; as soon as he touched it, a black aura had spawned from within the stone, before it wrapped around Harry, making him glow with renewed power, his energy that had been used in the maze coming back to him in leaps and bounds. Looking to the stone, Harry actually chuckled before he whispered, "The Resurrection Stone."

"Yes," Tom replied, looking back to Dumbledore as he asked, "And you know what that means don't you Dumbledore?"

"Harry," Albus gasped, trying a last gasp, "If you let me help you…"

"No," Harry told him, "I've now fulfilled a long-overdue promise Dumbledore: I am the Master of Death as well as Lord of the Magical Realm, so I'll give you one chance: back off and never darken my life again or…"

He didn't get to finish as a curse was fired from Dumbledore; tapping into the darkness and the power of the skies, Harry banished his other Knights out of the circle, before sealing both the former Head and the Knights' Commander in the fire. Drawing Excalibur, Harry deflected the curse and faced Dumbledore head-on, "Don't challenge me Albus: I have more power than you and the means to do what I must."

"Then it looks like only one of us leaves here alive," Dumbledore returned, before he flicked his wrist and, as Harry watched, he summoned a sword that was almost like a Dark Excalibur: it was emerald-green hilted and had a blade that, like Tom's, was black as night. Lifting it high, Dumbledore commanded, "Face me Potter and face your destiny."

"If that is what I must do," Harry returned, before the sound of steel on steel filled the stadium, the former mentor now facing his former student in a battle that, for the Holy Knights, would decide everything.

_**HPHG**_

Outside the circle, Amelia ran down to where Lily was trying to keep a frightened Hermione calm; approaching the Knight of Light, she asked, "What can we do Lily? Even the Aurors can't get through the fire."

"We protect the students," Lily explained, looking now to Tom and, for a moment, a look of pure evil filled her eyes before she composed herself: if Harry could do this then so could she. "Riddle, find Severus and get the Slytherins: Hermione, go find Minerva and take care of the Gryffindors; Neville, Professor Sprout and the Hufflepuffs; Luna: the Ravens and Master Filius. I'll find Fleur and Gabrielle and we'll take care of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and gather everyone in the Great Hall."

"But what about Harry?" asked Hermione, "He may have gained a power boost from the Hallows finally coming together, but what if it's not enough to take on Dumbledore?"

"If I know Harry Potter," Tom laughed, much to the bemusement of those who knew who he'd once been, "He'll find a way back to you Lady Hermione: Lady Lily is right though; with the magical clash going on here, we need to get the students to safety."

"I…guess you're right Riddle," Hermione scowled, before she gave her agreement to Lily's plan and, splitting up, the Holy Knights and the Arch-Mage began to make their way off in the directions of the four houses.

However, as they gathered everyone together, Hermione then counted one head missing; someone from one of the Hogwarts Houses was not among the students and, as she reached into the link with Hogwarts that Harry had told her about, she felt a familiar tingle of energy remaining down by Harry's side.

'I…don't…believe…it,' gasped Hermione, 'Right under our noses the whole time…'

_**HPHG**_

Excalibur met Dumbledore in a flurry of steel and magic that had both combatants equalising one another in skill, strength and finesse; countering every blow from the old man, Harry stepped back and faced his former mentor before he smiled as he asked, "Why did you do it anyway Dumbledore? Why did you choose me to be your pawn and your lamb to the slaughter?"

"Because of who you were," Dumbledore growled, his wand suddenly in hand as he fired off another curse; once again, Harry deflected it with Excalibur, before he countered with a stream of flames crafted from the circle around them. "Your powers would have been mine once you destroyed Tom and became the so-called Saviour: but then that stupid Mudblood got in the way and you were lost. If it wasn't for that buck-toothed, bossy know-it-all, I would have you right where I want you."

"You know," Harry snarled, flames now filling both hands, one of which covered Excalibur's blade as he hissed, "There's one lesson you need to remember Dumbledore and, for such a great man, you have a _real_ problem doing so: Never." He threw the flames forwards, Dumbledore now going on the defensive against the full fury of the recently-crowned Master of Death. "Ever. Insult. Hermione. Granger. In. Front. Of. ME!"

"_Crucio!_" cried Dumbledore, Harry trying to deflect the curse again with Excalibur; however, as the torturous power of the Unforgivable came into contact with Excalibur, the sword seemed to be drawn into a magnetic flurry, forcing it out of Harry's hand and into the unknown. Standing exposed, Harry called on two balls of electrical energy, readying himself for whatever came next. Dumbledore, seeing the bravery, laughed as he explained, "The Boy Who Lived has finally come to die: such a shame Harry, you would have made such a good servant: _Fiendfyre!_"

A whirlwind of flames started to rise around Harry and Dumbledore, the eyes of the old man filled with rage as Harry started crafting what appeared to be a shield of ice; laughing coldly, Dumbledore slashed his wand downwards, the whirlwind moving to swallow Harry whole…just as a torrential wall of water rose from the ground.

"What?" gasped Harry _and_ Dumbledore; looking through the fire, Harry saw a blue-edged sword channelling a torrent of magically-summoned water and, on the other end of that watery escapade was…

"Malfoy!" gasped Harry, seeing his recently redeemed friend now baring the crest of the Knights, his usually grey eyes now divided with an eye that looked to be a shade of sapphire.

"I don't know what's happening here," Draco explained, diverting the water into the heart of the whirlwind, "But I'm here for you now Sir Potter: I finally have the chance to redeem myself: now take down this senile bastard so you can get back to your Queen."

"Thank…thank you," Harry gasped, now flicking his own wrist, the Elder Wand leaping into his hand, his power only getting stronger as he faced Dumbledore, "Care to try that again?"

Dumbledore was a desperate man…and desperate men do desperate things, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

"_Protego Maximus; Expelliarmus,_" commanding both spells took a toll on Harry's magical reserves, but the Elder Wand, in the hand of the Master of Death, seemed to hold onto it: both spells – Expelliarmus and Avada Kedavra – met in a linked battle of red and green sparks, the power of the Elder Wand easily overcoming Dumbledore's wand, slamming the old man back into the wall of flames, his usually cheerful robes now being incinerated by the fires. Summoning his own water, Harry dowsed the flames before he sealed Dumbledore in the same terra and ice mixed trap he'd used on the now deceased Ronald Weasley.

"H-Harry," Dumbledore gasped, "Y-You wouldn't…you w-w-wouldn't kill me, would you? I'm j-j-just an old m-m-man."

"No Albus," Harry snarled, "I'm not like you."

"Oh Harry," gasped Dumbledore, his face twisted into a smile, "Thank you; you are truly noble and I'll make this up to you I promise. Tell me what I can do; I'll do anything."

Harry's golden eyes seemed to glow as he faced the man that had destroyed his life only to have it rebuilt by Hermione, by the Knights; by a kiss. With that fire in his eyes, Harry snarled, "Run; run away Dumbledore…and _never_ return!"

"Yes," Dumbledore sighed, watching as Harry turned his back on the old man, though his eyes never left the man as he walked away; however, Albus Dumbledore was always determined to win. "Of course; as you wish…your Majesty!"

With his last blast of magic, Albus summoned his Dark Excalibur and threw it forwards, the blade piercing Harry's chest with a cry from the Arch-Knight, Draco gasping as Dumbledore seemed content to just collapse, a smile of victory on his face, a part of him knowing the outcome before it would happen: yes he had lost.

But Harry would _still _die…

_**HPHG**_

"HARRY!"

Hermione's scream had every member of the three schools parting like the Red Sea as Draco walked into the Great Hall, Harry's blood-soaked body and still pierced heart bleeding over his robe. Seeing the Holy Knight of Water, Tom laughed as he exclaimed, "Now there's irony for you."

"It…it was Dumbledore," Draco explained, "Harry…Sir Potter; he wanted to show mercy, but Dumbledore…he pierced Harry's heart."

"Can…can it be removed?" asked Sirius, moving with Lily and Severus to Harry's side, the other Knights trying and failing to keep a stunned, shocked Hermione calm.

"Not…without…killing…me," gasped Harry, his golden eyes now on his completed team; it seemed cheesy that at the very end, the Holy Knights would be reunited. "I'm…sorry…I…couldn't…kill…him."

"You wouldn't have done it anyway," Tom informed him, Lily now sobbing on Severus' shoulder as the Potions Master stared with his usual stoic expression at the body of his student, Harry now being carefully put down by Draco so the others could gather around him.

"He…Herm…Hermione," gasped Harry, his breath getting weaker as he called for his betrothed and his magical wife; hearing his voice, Hermione ran through everyone and kneeled by his side.

"You…big idiot," she sobbed, trying to smile for him, "You knew you…you couldn't…trust him."

"Everyone…deserves…a sec…second chance," Harry told her, smiling through his pain as he seemed to indicate Tom with this fact. "Don't…don't be…sad; find…Amelia and…tell her…he's still…there."

"I'll tell her," Sirius explained, leaving Harry and Hermione; moments later, the hall emptied as Minerva ordered everyone to their dorms; some consoled for Harry's bravery and hoped he'd be okay while others just nodded their heads as if thanking him. This just left the Knights, the Order and a very weak Arch-Knight.

"I…love…you," Harry told Hermione, "And…I…always…will."

"There has to be _something_ we can do," Lily insisted, her hand now clutching her son's; looking to Severus, she asked, "What about the sword?"

"It's a cursed blade," Draco explained, nodding to Harry as he spoke, "Harry…he said it was imbued with Basilisk Venom and the after-effects of Fiendfyre; if we remove it, we kill him."

"Damn it," Tom swore, "Even my powers won't do anything: I mean Harry's the Master of Death and…"

"And as Master," a new voice spoke up, the Knights all lifting their heads as a black aura filled the room; moments later, Artemis and Emrys emerged from the void and stood before the Knights, "There _is_ something we can do for him."

"Tell us!" Hermione pleaded, "Please: he…he can't die; not now that we're…"

"Calm down Lady Hermione," Emrys told Hermione, "I will tell you, but it is a dangerous choice that only his Majesty can make."

"Tell…me," gasped Harry calmly, his eyes on Emrys as he spoke, "We're…all…here; what's…the…option?"

"In short," Artemis replied, her eyes actually sad as she looked at Harry, "The oldest law in magic: as Sir Malfoy put it, to remove the sword would kill you, so here's the option: we save your life…but at the cost of another."

"Who?" asked Hermione, before she gasped as Harry's hand suddenly clasped hers, his free hand moving to the sword that was through his chest. "What the hell?"

"I won't do _that_," Harry told her, "No-one should have to risk their life for me; not again."

"Damn it Harry," Draco exclaimed, "This isn't the time for one of your saving-people moments: you're going to die."

"And if I live then someone else must die," Harry told Draco, "I…I don't want that Malfoy; no matter what the cost."

"You always did have a brave soul my King," Artemis smiled, Emrys now kneeling with the Knights as he faced the others.

"The option is there, but we will not choose the soul to die: that choice is yours."

"No," Harry gasped, his voice suddenly stronger, though that may have been because he had the strength returning to him through his anger. "I refuse it; I…forbid it…no way Emrys…never in a…"

"I'll do it."

Every head in the room turned to the voice, the Holy Knight of Light Lily Evans smiling sadly as she faced her son and, taking his hand, told him, "No arguments young man: I gave my life for you once before and by Merlin, I'll do it again."

"Mum…" gasped Harry, "But…but we're finally together; I…I can't…lose you again."

"You won't," Lily told him, placing a soft hand on the spot where the sword was piercing his heart, "I'll always be here son as will your Dad: Emrys," she looked to the Lord of Light as she continued, "If I die; can my power be given to another?"

"It can," Emrys replied, "But the final choice must be Harry's: why? Do you have someone in mind?"

"Yes," Lily replied, reaching up and pulling Sebastian down, the Commander of the Order looking to her in shock as she explained, "Sebastian McDale: you have always been loyal to my family and, for that, I choose you to receive my power and continue to serve my son: you will become the new Holy Knight of Light."

"I…I would be…honoured my lady," Sebastian gasped, looking to Harry, who was still looking shocked and scared as he faced his Mother, "I will give my own life to protect him, but this is what you wish and I shall obey."

"Harry?" asked Artemis.

"NO!" Cried the Arch-Knight, "I…I can't…can't lose her again."

"You won't," Artemis explained, before she bent down and, reaching under Harry's robe, lifted out the Resurrection Stone; holding it in front of Harry, she explained, "Turn this three times and you will be able to see anyone you wish: now this would normally drive someone insane, but the dark effects of my three Hallows are no more thanks to your power bonding to them. You may see your parents any time you wish: as Death, even I will bow to your wishes as and when you desire, but they cannot stay in this world for any longer than 24 hours at any one time."

"I…I under…understand," Harry gasped, his eyes now filled with tears as he held onto Hermione, his free hand now being held by Lily as he added, "I'll never…never for…forget you; I…promise."

"So you say yes?" asked Lily.

"On…one…condition," Harry told them, looking to Artemis as he spoke, "Give…us one…day; you…did it…for Dad…please?"

"As you command, Master of Death," Artemis bowed, "But only one day: after that only the Stone can perform the wishes you seek."

"Be ready," Lily told Harry, now clasping the sword herself as she nodded to Artemis, "Because I am."

Then, without warning, Lily ripped the blade from Harry's heart, the Arch-Knight gasping as he felt the magic of the blade going to work; through his pain-induced state, he didn't notice Artemis speaking in an old tone of language that wasn't used any more, a band of black light flowing from her heart and linking with Lily while Emrys spoke the same tongue and watched as a white band of light flowed from his heart and linked with Harry's heart. When the lights hit the bodies of the two Knights, Lily bent her head and kissed her son on his forehead, before she whispered a soft message that, in a sense, had started it all;

"Harry, be safe, be strong and know that you are loved."

_**HPHG**_

When all of Hogwarts heard of the return from the beyond of Harry Potter, the Tournament's rules were severed by Amelia and the Tournament officially banned; Harry and Hermione, as soul and magical-bonded contestants, were offered the Triwizard Cup and named official champions, much to the delight of the three schools.

Dumbledore was sentenced to life in Azkaban while Fudge was tossed through the Veil: both were musical messages to Harry and Hermione's ears as they enjoyed the rest of their school year, a part of them wondering what would come next.

For now though, it was July 31st and Harry was standing in the throne room of Camelot, his eyes on Artemis while at his side sat Hermione Potter, the Queen of Camelot; nodding to the Lady of Darkness, he whispered, "Do it."

Artemis, knowing that Harry had waited through all this time, nodded in response before she began to chant in her ancient tongue once more; at her feet, a black cross was carved on the ground before it seemed to open like a gateway, the magic flowing through the room as Harry watched and waited. One day she had given them and this was the one day that Harry had chosen.

From within the gate emerged a figure dressed in white, a head of red hair flowing behind her as she stepped forwards, as if emerging from a pool, and, seeing Harry there, bowed to him, "Happy birthday my little King."

"Hi Mum," Harry smiled, "This is going to be my best birthday yet: shall we get started then?"

Offering his arm to his queen, Harry stepped down and stopped before Lily, his hand held out to the corporeal soul of his Mother as he smiled at her;

"We only have one day."

**The End…is here!**

**The Chronicles are officially over, but if anyone wishes to write their own adventure in a follow-on with the universe, then go ahead; just make sure you point out that it is a different story to this and also send me a PM, but for me, the Chronicles of Camelot are DONE!**

**Please Read and Review…**


	38. The Final Showdown: EXTENDED

The Chronicles of Camelot

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respected characters; all copyright goes to the fantasy queen known as JK Rowling: I do own any OC spells explained at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 37 EXTENDED: The Final Showdown

**AN: Extensions are the small sections here that are in bold;**

Harry's body spun through the emptiness of the air with centrifugal force, the Arch-Knight coming to a rather painful landing on the ground outside the maze; as soon as he landed, however, the schools had all cheered and Harry noticed Hermione running towards him: she barely got three inches from him, before a pair of strong arms pinned Harry to the ground again, his grunts of complaint being unheard as Excalibur was torn from his side.

"What?" asked the stunned voice of Amelia Bones, "What's going on here?"

"This is none of your concern Minister," a cold, but familiar voice hissed, Harry's rage suddenly growing again as he recognised the old fool. "We have had reports of the Avada Kedavra used in the maze and the source of that magic was none other than Harry here."

"Bullshit!" snapped Harry, trying to rise against the force of whoever or whatever was pinning him to the ground, "Amelia: check my wand; ask me for an oath; you know I have my rights!"

"I'm afraid not Harry," sneered another familiar voice, Harry then looking up into the face of Cornelius Fudge, who was close to laughing as he explained, "Witnessed use of the Unforgivables plus the death of an old family member warrants life in Azkaban!"

"Old fam…" Harry began, but stopped when, at the edge of his vision, he caught sight of a stretcher being rolled out of the maze, a familiar head of red hair lying still and unmoving upon it. "Oh you senile deluded old bastard," he snarled, "You actually think _this_ will get me back on your side?"

"Of course not Harry," Dumbledore answered, now approaching Harry and, extending his hand, taking Excalibur from the guard that had stripped the blade from Harry's side. Turning it over, he sighed as he explained, "I just see that you are possessed by forces unknown and the only way to release you…" he trailed off, but Harry shivered as he felt Excalibur's steel against his neck, "Is to kill you."

"True words Dumbledore," Fudge grinned, but Harry, seething with rage as he put two and two together, finally snapped: summoning _all_ of his elemental power, he released it in a torrential arc of fire, ice and lightning that sent Fudge, Dumbledore and their guardsmen flying back. Leaping to his feet, Harry extended his hand and Dumbledore gasped as Excalibur returned to the hand of its real master; as soon as Harry clasped the sword, he spun on the spot and summoned a ring of fire and darkness, his eyes narrow and filled with rage.

"You bastard Dumbledore," he snarled coldly, his golden-coloured eyes now burning like the fires of a phoenix. "You think some trumped-up charges and the word of the _ex_ Minister of Magic are enough to take me down? You clearly forget who you are dealing with!"

Looking all around the circle, Harry lifted Excalibur and parted the flames, allowing the Holy Knights and his Queen to move to his side; as Hermione took his hand, she asked him, "What are you going to do Harry?"

"End this," Harry explained, addressing the crowd as a whole, "I am Harry James Potter, Arch-Knight and Commander of the Elemental Order; Lord and Master of Hogwarts School and the Founders _and_ Crowned King of the magical realm of Camelot!"

"Lies!" snapped Fudge, but he was cut off by Harry's flames, "The realm of Camelot is non-existent: the so-called _King_ is but a legend: there is only one ruler of the magical world and, once you're dealt with _boy_: he will be me!"

"Sadly Cornelius," Harry told him, "You won't get that chance."

Clicking his fingers, Harry summoned chains that appeared to be a mix of light, ice and steel that wrapped around the arms and legs of the former Minister, the Arch-Knight turning back to Dumbledore.

"Harry," Dumbledore gasped, "Why…why didn't you tell me? We could work together on this: it's not too late!"

"Oh," Harry sighed, "I'm afraid it is Dumbledore: you took my life from me by leaving me with Muggles; you allowed a traitor to cause the death of my Father and force my Mother to become a spirit of the ether and then you tried to bind my power and turn me against another Knight. I believe you've heard of him old man: Tom Riddle!"

"He…he's back?" asked Dumbledore, and that was when a plume of darkness rose into the circle and, from within the darkness came a man in his twenties with raven-black hair and cold, dark eyes; he was dressed in a midnight-blue robe with a crescent moon on his crest, a sword with a jet-black blade at his side. Lifting his hand, the figure dispersed the darkness and, turning to Harry, dropped to one knee, his blade held flat in his palm.

"My King," Tom Riddle spoke up, "I am reborn and now my powers are the allies and service of the Elemental Order: I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, Holy Knight of Darkness, pledge my allegiance."

"Thank you Tom," Harry replied, "You may rise."

When the ex-Dark Lord did so, he turned to Dumbledore before taking his place at Harry's side, the circle of Knights now glowing even brighter as Harry let his power extend outwards, allowing the powers that be to decide the Last Knight. While the decision was being made, Harry shook his head slowly as he explained, "I would have gladly worked with you Dumbledore, but you did so much to weaken and make me your slave that those options have gone out the window. Had you been the grandfatherly, warm and respectable wizard that I'd seen and known on my first day here then I would have willingly brought you into the Circle, but no more."

"You'll still die!" Dumbledore insisted, not really caring about the allies that were hearing his words, "Because you seal your fate allying with him Harry."

"**Oh really Dumbledore?" asked Harry, now looking back to the old man, "Let's do a little headcount with that theory shall we? I have the Elemental Order now at full strength; the Order of Pendragon ready to stand at my side; a werewolf who will eventually have the power to change at will, an ex-Azkaban inmate with one of the greatest families in history behind him; a former Dark Lord with extensive knowledge of the way the world works: quite possibly the most powerful student and wizard in the world and his equally-powerful wife, lover and queen; the greatest Elemental forces at my command; old sorcerers with the ultimate in unstoppable forces and, of course, Hogwarts…and you, Albus Dumbledork, have managed to piss each and every one of them off, including Voldemort."**

"How do you know he won't turn on you?"

"Because Voldemort is dead," Tom informed Dumbledore, "As are the Horcruxes that you allowed me to create Dumbledore: did you know that it was him who set me on that path?" he asked Harry, who shook his head as Tom continued, "I was introduced to this world by Dumbledore, but only _after_ Grindelwald himself had anointed me as the Holy Knight of Darkness. He himself was the Holy Knight of Terra and wanted to unite the world using his moniker for the Greater Good, but then he met a man who trapped him, betrayed him and killed him: that man's name was Albus Dumbledore."

"Gellert was a fool," Dumbledore snarled, "As are you; **I have an army of loyal followers at my command."**

"**We have Excalibur," Harry added, lifting the blade.**

**"Not to mention," added Tom, "All who followed me and I stand true to his side, Dumbledore:** the Horcruxes are destroyed old man: the snake, the diadem, the cup, the locket, the diary, the ring _and_ the one that was inside Harry: that one was destroyed when he became his birthright of the Holy Knight of Thunder. Which reminds me," he then reached into his pocket and, turning to Harry, held out his hand, "I believe you were looking for this."

Opening his palm, Tom revealed a small diamond-shaped black stone that seemed to hover in the air before Harry took the stone; as soon as he touched it, a black aura had spawned from within the stone, before it wrapped around Harry, making him glow with renewed power, his energy that had been used in the maze coming back to him in leaps and bounds. Looking to the stone, Harry actually chuckled before he whispered, "The Resurrection Stone."

"Yes," Tom replied, looking back to Dumbledore as he asked, "And you know what that means don't you Dumbledore?"

"Harry," Albus gasped, trying a last gasp, "If you let me help you…"

"No," Harry told him, "I've now fulfilled a long-overdue promise Dumbledore: I am the Master of Death as well as Lord of the Magical Realm, so I'll give you one chance: back off and never darken my life again or…"

He didn't get to finish as a curse was fired from Dumbledore; tapping into the darkness and the power of the skies, Harry banished his other Knights out of the circle, before sealing both the former Head and the Knights' Commander in the fire. Drawing Excalibur, Harry deflected the curse and faced Dumbledore head-on, "Don't challenge me Albus: I have more power than you and the means to do what I must."

"Then it looks like only one of us leaves here alive," Dumbledore returned, before he flicked his wrist and, as Harry watched, he summoned a sword that was almost like a Dark Excalibur: it was emerald-green hilted and had a blade that, like Tom's, was black as night. Lifting it high, Dumbledore commanded, "Face me Potter and face your destiny."

"If that is what I must do," Harry returned, before the sound of steel on steel filled the stadium, the former mentor now facing his former student in a battle that, for the Holy Knights, would decide everything.

_**HPHG**_

Outside the circle, Amelia ran down to where Lily was trying to keep a frightened Hermione calm; approaching the Knight of Light, she asked, "What can we do Lily? Even the Aurors can't get through the fire."

"We protect the students," Lily explained, looking now to Tom and, for a moment, a look of pure evil filled her eyes before she composed herself: if Harry could do this then so could she. "Riddle, find Severus and get the Slytherins: Hermione, go find Minerva and take care of the Gryffindors; Neville, Professor Sprout and the Hufflepuffs; Luna: the Ravens and Master Filius. I'll find Fleur and Gabrielle and we'll take care of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and gather everyone in the Great Hall."

"But what about Harry?" asked Hermione, "He may have gained a power boost from the Hallows finally coming together, but what if it's not enough to take on Dumbledore?"

"If I know Harry Potter," Tom laughed, much to the bemusement of those who knew who he'd once been, "He'll find a way back to you Lady Hermione: Lady Lily is right though; with the magical clash going on here, we need to get the students to safety."

"I…guess you're right Riddle," Hermione scowled, before she gave her agreement to Lily's plan and, splitting up, the Holy Knights and the Arch-Mage began to make their way off in the directions of the four houses.

However, as they gathered everyone together, Hermione then counted one head missing; someone from one of the Hogwarts Houses was not among the students and, as she reached into the link with Hogwarts that Harry had told her about, she felt a familiar tingle of energy remaining down by Harry's side.

'I…don't…believe…it,' gasped Hermione, 'Right under our noses the whole time…'

_**HPHG**_

Excalibur met Dumbledore in a flurry of steel and magic that had both combatants equalising one another in skill, strength and finesse; countering every blow from the old man, Harry stepped back and faced his former mentor before he smiled as he asked, "Why did you do it anyway Dumbledore? Why did you choose me to be your pawn and your lamb to the slaughter?"

"Because of who you were," Dumbledore growled, his wand suddenly in hand as he fired off another curse; once again, Harry deflected it with Excalibur, before he countered with a stream of flames crafted from the circle around them. "Your powers would have been mine once you destroyed Tom and became the so-called Saviour: but then that stupid Mudblood got in the way and you were lost. If it wasn't for that buck-toothed, bossy know-it-all, I would have you right where I want you."

"You know," Harry snarled, flames now filling both hands, one of which covered Excalibur's blade as he hissed, "There's one lesson you need to remember Dumbledore and, for such a great man, you have a _real_ problem doing so: Never." He threw the flames forwards, Dumbledore now going on the defensive against the full fury of the recently-crowned Master of Death. "Ever. Insult. Hermione. Granger. In. Front. Of. ME!"

"_Crucio!_" cried Dumbledore, Harry trying to deflect the curse again with Excalibur; however, as the torturous power of the Unforgivable came into contact with Excalibur, the sword seemed to be drawn into a magnetic flurry, forcing it out of Harry's hand and into the unknown. Standing exposed, Harry called on two balls of electrical energy, readying himself for whatever came next. Dumbledore, seeing the bravery, laughed as he explained, "The Boy Who Lived has finally come to die: such a shame Harry, you would have made such a good servant: _Fiendfyre!_"

A whirlwind of flames started to rise around Harry and Dumbledore, the eyes of the old man filled with rage as Harry started crafting what appeared to be a shield of ice; laughing coldly, Dumbledore slashed his wand downwards, the whirlwind moving to swallow Harry whole…just as a torrential wall of water rose from the ground.

"What?" gasped Harry _and_ Dumbledore; looking through the fire, Harry saw a blue-edged sword channelling a torrent of magically-summoned water and, on the other end of that watery escapade was…

"Malfoy!" gasped Harry, seeing his recently redeemed friend now baring the crest of the Knights, his usually grey eyes now divided with an eye that looked to be a shade of sapphire.

"I don't know what's happening here," Draco explained, diverting the water into the heart of the whirlwind, "But I'm here for you now Sir Potter: I finally have the chance to redeem myself: now take down this senile bastard so you can get back to your Queen."

"Thank…thank you," Harry gasped, now flicking his own wrist, the Elder Wand leaping into his hand, his power only getting stronger as he faced Dumbledore, "Care to try that again?"

Dumbledore was a desperate man…and desperate men do desperate things, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

"_Protego Maximus; Expelliarmus,_" commanding both spells took a toll on Harry's magical reserves, but the Elder Wand, in the hand of the Master of Death, seemed to hold onto it: both spells – Expelliarmus and Avada Kedavra – met in a linked battle of red and green sparks, the power of the Elder Wand easily overcoming Dumbledore's wand, slamming the old man back into the wall of flames, his usually cheerful robes now being incinerated by the fires. Summoning his own water, Harry dowsed the flames before he sealed Dumbledore in the same terra and ice mixed trap he'd used on the now deceased Ronald Weasley.

"H-Harry," Dumbledore gasped, "Y-You wouldn't…you w-w-wouldn't kill me, would you? I'm j-j-just an old m-m-man."

"No Albus," Harry snarled, "I'm not like you."

"Oh Harry," gasped Dumbledore, his face twisted into a smile, "Thank you; you are truly noble and I'll make this up to you I promise. Tell me what I can do; I'll do anything."

Harry's golden eyes seemed to glow as he faced the man that had destroyed his life only to have it rebuilt by Hermione, by the Knights; by a kiss. With that fire in his eyes, Harry snarled, "Run; run away Dumbledore…and _never_ return!"

"Yes," Dumbledore sighed, watching as Harry turned his back on the old man, though his eyes never left the man as he walked away; however, Albus Dumbledore was always determined to win. "Of course; as you wish…your Majesty!"

With his last blast of magic, Albus summoned his Dark Excalibur and threw it forwards, the blade piercing Harry's chest with a cry from the Arch-Knight, Draco gasping as Dumbledore seemed content to just collapse, a smile of victory on his face, a part of him knowing the outcome before it would happen: yes he had lost.

But Harry would _still _die…

_**HPHG**_

"HARRY!"

Hermione's scream had every member of the three schools parting like the Red Sea as Draco walked into the Great Hall, Harry's blood-soaked body and still pierced heart bleeding over his robe. Seeing the Holy Knight of Water, Tom laughed as he exclaimed, "Now there's irony for you."

"It…it was Dumbledore," Draco explained, "Harry…Sir Potter; he wanted to show mercy, but Dumbledore…he pierced Harry's heart."

"Can…can it be removed?" asked Sirius, moving with Lily and Severus to Harry's side, the other Knights trying and failing to keep a stunned, shocked Hermione calm.

"Not…without…killing…me," gasped Harry, his golden eyes now on his completed team; it seemed cheesy that at the very end, the Holy Knights would be reunited. "I'm…sorry…I…couldn't…kill…him."

"You wouldn't have done it anyway," Tom informed him, Lily now sobbing on Severus' shoulder as the Potions Master stared with his usual stoic expression at the body of his student, Harry now being carefully put down by Draco so the others could gather around him.

"He…Herm…Hermione," gasped Harry, his breath getting weaker as he called for his betrothed and his magical wife; hearing his voice, Hermione ran through everyone and kneeled by his side.

"You…big idiot," she sobbed, trying to smile for him, "You knew you…you couldn't…trust him."

"Everyone…deserves…a sec…second chance," Harry told her, smiling through his pain as he seemed to indicate Tom with this fact. "Don't…don't be…sad; find…Amelia and…tell her…he's still…there."

"I'll tell her," Sirius explained, leaving Harry and Hermione; moments later, the hall emptied as Minerva ordered everyone to their dorms; some consoled for Harry's bravery and hoped he'd be okay while others just nodded their heads as if thanking him. This just left the Knights, the Order and a very weak Arch-Knight.

"I…love…you," Harry told Hermione, "And…I…always…will."

"There has to be _something_ we can do," Lily insisted, her hand now clutching her son's; looking to Severus, she asked, "What about the sword?"

"It's a cursed blade," Draco explained, nodding to Harry as he spoke, "Harry…he said it was imbued with Basilisk Venom and the after-effects of Fiendfyre; if we remove it, we kill him."

"Damn it," Tom swore, "Even my powers won't do anything: I mean Harry's the Master of Death and…"

"And as Master," a new voice spoke up, the Knights all lifting their heads as a black aura filled the room; moments later, Artemis and Emrys emerged from the void and stood before the Knights, "There _is_ something we can do for him."

"Tell us!" Hermione pleaded, "Please: he…he can't die; not now that we're…"

"Calm down Lady Hermione," Emrys told Hermione, "I will tell you, but it is a dangerous choice that only his Majesty can make."

"Tell…me," gasped Harry calmly, his eyes on Emrys as he spoke, "We're…all…here; what's…the…option?"

"In short," Artemis replied, her eyes actually sad as she looked at Harry, "The oldest law in magic: as Sir Malfoy put it, to remove the sword would kill you, so here's the option: we save your life…but at the cost of another."

"Who?" asked Hermione, before she gasped as Harry's hand suddenly clasped hers, his free hand moving to the sword that was through his chest. "What the hell?"

"I won't do _that_," Harry told her, "No-one should have to risk their life for me; not again."

"Damn it Harry," Draco exclaimed, "This isn't the time for one of your saving-people moments: you're going to die."

"And if I live then someone else must die," Harry told Draco, "I…I don't want that Malfoy; no matter what the cost."

"You always did have a brave soul my King," Artemis smiled, Emrys now kneeling with the Knights as he faced the others.

"The option is there, but we will not choose the soul to die: that choice is yours."

"No," Harry gasped, his voice suddenly stronger, though that may have been because he had the strength returning to him through his anger. "I refuse it; I…forbid it…no way Emrys…never in a…"

"I'll do it."

Every head in the room turned to the voice, the Holy Knight of Light Lily Evans smiling sadly as she faced her son and, taking his hand, told him, "No arguments young man: I gave my life for you once before and by Merlin, I'll do it again."

"Mum…" gasped Harry, "But…but we're finally together; I…I can't…lose you again."

"You won't," Lily told him, placing a soft hand on the spot where the sword was piercing his heart, "I'll always be here son as will your Dad: Emrys," she looked to the Lord of Light as she continued, "If I die; can my power be given to another?"

"It can," Emrys replied, "But the final choice must be Harry's: why? Do you have someone in mind?"

"Yes," Lily replied, reaching up and pulling Sebastian down, the Commander of the Order looking to her in shock as she explained, "Sebastian McDale: you have always been loyal to my family and, for that, I choose you to receive my power and continue to serve my son: you will become the new Holy Knight of Light."

"I…I would be…honoured my lady," Sebastian gasped, looking to Harry, who was still looking shocked and scared as he faced his Mother, "I will give my own life to protect him, but this is what you wish and I shall obey."

"Harry?" asked Artemis.

"NO!" Cried the Arch-Knight, "I…I can't…can't lose her again."

"You won't," Artemis explained, before she bent down and, reaching under Harry's robe, lifted out the Resurrection Stone; holding it in front of Harry, she explained, "Turn this three times and you will be able to see anyone you wish: now this would normally drive someone insane, but the dark effects of my three Hallows are no more thanks to your power bonding to them. You may see your parents any time you wish: as Death, even I will bow to your wishes as and when you desire, but they cannot stay in this world for any longer than 24 hours at any one time."

"I…I under…understand," Harry gasped, his eyes now filled with tears as he held onto Hermione, his free hand now being held by Lily as he added, "I'll never…never for…forget you; I…promise."

"So you say yes?" asked Lily.

"On…one…condition," Harry told them, looking to Artemis as he spoke, "Give…us one…day; you…did it…for Dad…please?"

"As you command, Master of Death," Artemis bowed, "But only one day: after that only the Stone can perform the wishes you seek."

"Be ready," Lily told Harry, now clasping the sword herself as she nodded to Artemis, "Because I am."

Then, without warning, Lily ripped the blade from Harry's heart, the Arch-Knight gasping as he felt the magic of the blade going to work; through his pain-induced state, he didn't notice Artemis speaking in an old tone of language that wasn't used any more, a band of black light flowing from her heart and linking with Lily while Emrys spoke the same tongue and watched as a white band of light flowed from his heart and linked with Harry's heart. When the lights hit the bodies of the two Knights, Lily bent her head and kissed her son on his forehead, before she whispered a soft message that, in a sense, had started it all;

"Harry, be safe, be strong and know that you are loved."

_**HPHG**_

When all of Hogwarts heard of the return from the beyond of Harry Potter, the Tournament's rules were severed by Amelia and the Tournament officially banned; Harry and Hermione, as soul and magical-bonded contestants, were offered the Triwizard Cup and named official champions, much to the delight of the three schools.

Dumbledore was sentenced to life in Azkaban while Fudge was tossed through the Veil: both were musical messages to Harry and Hermione's ears as they enjoyed the rest of their school year, a part of them wondering what would come next.

For now though, it was July 31st and Harry was standing in the throne room of Camelot, his eyes on Artemis while at his side sat Hermione Potter, the Queen of Camelot; nodding to the Lady of Darkness, he whispered, "Do it."

Artemis, knowing that Harry had waited through all this time, nodded in response before she began to chant in her ancient tongue once more; at her feet, a black cross was carved on the ground before it seemed to open like a gateway, the magic flowing through the room as Harry watched and waited. One day she had given them and this was the one day that Harry had chosen.

From within the gate emerged a figure dressed in white, a head of red hair flowing behind her as she stepped forwards, as if emerging from a pool, and, seeing Harry there, bowed to him, "Happy birthday my little King."

"Hi Mum," Harry smiled, "This is going to be my best birthday yet: shall we get started then?"

Offering his arm to his queen, Harry stepped down and stopped before Lily, his hand held out to the corporeal soul of his Mother as he smiled at her;

"We only have one day."

**I know this may not make sense, but I chose to add a little inspired addition to the chapter – the parts in bold near the start of the chapter – which, as you can guess, is from Avengers: Assemble – as it's called here in the UK.**

**I did this as a thanks to everyone who posted reviews and enjoyed this story: now I only hope that my success continue and maybe, just maybe, I can reach 1000 Reviews for the first time EVER!**

**So, to all of you, THANK YOU AGAIN!**


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